President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appealed to members of Staff of Nigerian Universities to give peace a chance and avail themselves of the opportunity of negotiations created by his administration.
Tinubu said there will no longer be close down of universities across the country.
Speaking at the grand finale of the 39th Convocation of the University of Ilorin held at the institution’s main campus in Ilorin, Kwara state, on Tuesday, Tinubu said that universities just like the entire nation need peace to ensure prosperity in the country.
The President, represented at Convocation by the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, said Tinubu’s administration is committed to uninterrupted academic sessions in the Universities.
Sununu said, “My Government is committed to an uninterrupted academic calendar. Let me, therefore appeal to the staff members of the nation’s universities to always give peace a chance. Our universities, just as the entire nation itself, need peace to ensure prosperity.
“Gone were the days when universities would be closed down over issues that could be resolved through constructive engagements. No one gains anything from the closure of institutions of learning. We have grown beyond that and we should not return to that path. We would not allow that to happen again. Our universities should always be open for continuous quality teaching, research and community service to flourish.
“We would, therefore, ensure that the Federal Government and our various universities enjoy a new form of good and positive relationship in the interest of the nation and humanity. We would ensure that this fraternity is sustained through honest and consistent open engagement between the government on one side, and the universities on the other”, the President said.
Recall that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions have recently issued strike notice to the Federal government over failure to pay the arrears of salary owed them during their last period of a strike in 2022 as well as the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement.
Sununu, who stated that the federal government is trying to fulfil its own part of the agreement said, “It was in this regard that 2009 Re-negotiation Committee between Federal Government and Universities based Associations and Unions under the leadership of Dr. Yayale Ahmed CFR was inaugurated.
“Furthermore as part of efforts to sustain this, we have effected the payment of four months of the previously withheld salaries of academic staff of universities. I have also directed the payment of the withheld salaries of the non-teaching staff of the universities. This was purposely done to show the magnanimity of the present administration, despite the activation of the principle of the “no work no pay” rule.
“In addition, the Federal Government has also directed that the payment of salaries of university staff members be removed from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) forthwith. This is in response to the consistent pleas of the university trade unions. We will ensure that this removal is effected without further delay”, Tinubu said.
He also disclosed that the present government has instituted loans for students while the institutions have been granted leave to recruit more staff.
“The Federal Government has begun the disbursement of student loans to tertiary institutions to cushion the effects of the current economic situation. Students of the University of Ilorin are not left out among the beneficiaries of this loan scheme. I am happy to inform you that the Nigerian Education Loans Fund (NELFUND) has come to stay to provide opportunities and access for students to learn with ease and pay back later. I, therefore, urge every student to take advantage of this privilege to better their lots.
“Recently, the Federal Government constituted and inaugurated Governing Councils for all its universities. The councils were put in place to assist in the quality running of the ivory towers for the benefit of the nation.
“We are also aware of the depleting staff strength in our universities. In response, the institutions were recently given the waiver to recruit more staff members to replace those who have left their services as a result of death, retirement or resignation,” he said.
He, however, urged the graduating students to join hands with other members of the society to solve the economic and security challenges facing the country.
“Nigeria is currently witnessing critical economic and security challenges. These challenges are many and multidimensional, but they are surmountable and the government is doing all to overcome the challenges.
“The future of our nation depends on what we, the citizens, make of the current situation. As young people imbued with energy, intelligence, intellect, integrity, and courage, the nation needs you and your contributions. Your determination and disposition to these issues will enable us to overcome our present challenges and build a nation we can all be proud of.”
In his address, the Pro-Chancellor and the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Abiodun Aluko, said that the council will work and sustain the mission of the institution.
Aluko, a former Deputy governor of Ekiti State said that the Council would introduce and promote innovative ideas that will take this university to greater heights adding, “We shall mobilise human and material resources, both from within and outside the institution, to ensure that the vision of the founding fathers is not only sustained but also robustly boosted enabling the university to continue contributing maximally to national development.
“It is our determination to ensure that the University remains the nation’s number one in terms of the quality of its academic excellence, research outputs, and the quantity of its students’ intake. We will ensure that the prevailing peace and tranquillity on the university campus is maintained. All these will be achieved through deliberate policies and purposeful programmes aimed at enhancing the welfare and well-being of the staff, who are the most critical stakeholders in the University’s march to greatness.
“We will continually guide the management towards giving positive and swift consideration to the welfare of both the academic and non-teaching staff within the available resources. We will also work to sustain the excellent relationship between the University and our host community.
“While we appreciate the level of progress achieved by the university in the last 49 years, the new Governing Council is resolute in our determination to ensure that the products of this university are professionally competent, morally sound and globally competitive.
He added, “We shall also ensure that the staff of the university work in an environment that brings out the best in them, enabling the institution to produce scholars, academics, and professionals who will continually be celebrated for scholarship, ingenuity, and morality.
“We will leave no stone unturned in our sustained effort to ensure that the slogan “Better by Far”, for which the university is renowned, is sustained not only in words but also in deeds. The Governing Council is committed to the progress and development of the university, and we will ensure that the university attains its full potential, a legacy that future generations will be very proud of.
“I am delighted to specifically and sincerely inform you that, as part of the mandate of the Governing Council on financial resources, efforts are in top gear towards expanding the revenue base of the university. We need to improve the university’s Internally Generated Revenue, and we will give this matter the utmost attention. The potential is there, and we shall explore every avenue to ensure less dependence on government funding without inconveniencing students and their parents.”
He added that the institution convocated First Class and 3842 Second Class graduates.
“12,042 graduates received Certificates and Diploma at the 39th Convocation of the University of Ilorin held in the University between Monday and Tuesday, October 21st and 22nd,2024 out of which 256 were First Class, 3842 Second Class (Upper Division) 6178 Second Class (Lower Division), 1299 Third Class and 62 Pass.
“The 39th Convocation Ceremonies also include 124 MB; BS graduands, 64 Nursing graduands, 35 Optometry graduands, 30 Veterinary Medicine graduands, and 18 graduands with Distinction and 85 graduands with Pass in Pharmacy, 1 distinction and 32 Pass in Physiotherapy.
“We have a total of 16 Diploma degree holders. Furthermore, the total number of Higher Degrees to be awarded at the 39th Convocation Ceremonies is 1,875; out of this figure, there are 92 Postgraduate Diplomas, 1,280 Masters from various Faculties, 179 Professional Masters, 1 MPhil and 323 Ph.Ds,” he said.
