Why should Edo PDP blames Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the 150 undergraduate academic programmes in Nigeria’s public and private universities that are unaccredited? According to the 2016 accreditation status report by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the unaccredited courses that are domiciled in 37 of 143 universities in the country.
Why should Edo PDP blames Governor Oshiomhole for the withdrawal by Nigeria’s National Universities Commission of the accreditation status of some academic departments in several universities? The move has prompted universities including Ambrose Alli University, University of Abuja and others to contemplate measures that would save them from further sanctions from the government regulatory agency. The National Universities Commission, or NUC, recently published a notice “Programmes with denied accreditation status in the Nigerian university system”. In all, 37 universities were affected at various levels.
Edo PDP is ignorant that accreditation, according to the laws creating the NUC, is a process whereby academic programmes are evaluated every five years. The assessment criteria include the number of academics with PhDs and the infrastructure to accommodate undergraduate and postgraduates courses. The NUC’s accreditation team also establishes the number of students that may be admitted per programme.
Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State under Governor Adams Oshiomhole graduated its first set of medical laboratory scientists after 27 years of its existence. The graduates, 416, were made up of 137 chemical pathologists, 126 hematologists, 121 medical microbiologists and 32 histopathologists. In addition, the number of programmes rose from about 15 in 2008 to 28 in 2013 and they all got accreditation. The truth is that AAU has offered more academic programmes under Oshiomhole than any other governor in Edo State. Under PDP in Edo State, AAU medical students used to complete their programme in University of Benin. Oshiomhole stopped AAU medical students from going to UNIBEN to complete their programme.
Edo PDP is ignorant that accreditation, according to the laws creating the NUC, is a process whereby academic programmes are evaluated every five years. The assessment criteria include the number of academics with PhDs and the infrastructure to accommodate undergraduate and postgraduates courses. The NUC’s accreditation team also establishes the number of students that may be admitted per programme.
Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State under Governor Adams Oshiomhole graduated its first set of medical laboratory scientists after 27 years of its existence. The graduates, 416, were made up of 137 chemical pathologists, 126 hematologists, 121 medical microbiologists and 32 histopathologists. In addition, the number of programmes rose from about 15 in 2008 to 28 in 2013 and they all got accreditation. The truth is that AAU has offered more academic programmes under Oshiomhole than any other governor in Edo State. Under PDP in Edo State, AAU medical students used to complete their programme in University of Benin. Oshiomhole stopped AAU medical students from going to UNIBEN to complete their programme.
Those criticizing Governor Oshiomhole over courses accreditation and neglect of Ambrose Alli University have demonstrated ignorance. It is equally important to note that the issue of neglect referred to were out of mischief. Oshiomhole procured and installed teaching and research equipment for the College of Medicine and others. The monthly allocation for the school has been increased from less than N100 million in 2008 to more than N255 million in 2016.
Oshiomhole has worked tirelessly to ensure that National Universities Commission, NUC, and professional bodies accredit the College of Medicine, since 2008. Oshiomhole has witnessed the successful swearing in/oath taking ceremony of the sixth and seventh sets of qualified medical doctors of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic sessions. The governor has ensured the recognition of Ambrose Alli University College of Medicine by the Medical Board of California, USA. It is under Oshiomhole’s administration that College of Medicine got full accreditation from NUC.
So rather for Edo PDP to show appreciation for what the governor has done to uplift the school, people are bringing in political and ethnic connotation to it. So PDP cooked up the comment with a view to instigate Esan people against the governor.
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State has been highly rated for its standard infrastructural development and academic excellence. Director of Justice Research Centre for Central and West Africa Mr Mike Smith spoke on the inauguration of Projects by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in 2015 at the school. Mr Smith commended the Governor and the former Vice Chancellor, Prof Cordelia Agbebaku , management and staff for ensuring that the mission and vision of establishing the school was sustained describing their efforts as worthy of emulation by others. He added that with the impressive standard of the school that the expectation is that the students should always make remarkable difference in all levels.
When the Comrade Governor took time out of his very busy state duties, to inaugurate projects at Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State that were fully funded by Edo State Government. This is a clear evidence not only of his passion for good governance, raising the standard of education in Edo State but it also indicated his love for Ambrose Alli University and his concern for its infrastructure development. However Edo PDP said they were TETFUND projects.
The eight projects inaugurated, were the projects of the five hundred million naira (N500,000,000) special grant that the Comrade Governor graciously approved for the University when the present Governing Council of Ambrose Alli University was inaugurated on the 5th of August 2013. The final installment of the special Grant was received by the University in February 2014 and the funds have been applied to execute the following capital projects.
Construction of workshop building for department of building and studio for fine and applied arts department in the faculty of Environmental studies. Location: Main Campus.
Construction of 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the department of Medical Laboratory science. Location: College of Medicine.
Furnishing of 2-in-1 Laboratory Block for the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. Location College of Medicine.
Construction of Library Building in Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. Location: College of Medicine.
Construction of 500 Capacity Lecture Theatres in Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. Location: College of Medicine.
Completion of Abandon Moot Court Building in the Faculty of Law. Location: Main Campus.
Furnishing of Moot Court Building in Faculty of Law. Location: Main Campus.
Construction of departmental building for the department of Agricultural Economics. Location: Emaudo Annex. The significance of some of the projects inaugurated is that Oshiomhole has done his best for the school. In addition, Edo State Government under Governor Adams Oshiomhole has executed the following projects at Ambrose Alli University: 1.Construction of 500 Capacity Lecture Theatre at Main Campus, 2. Construction of Lecturers Office Block at Main Campus, 3. Construction of 500 Capacity Lecture Theatre at Emaudo Annex, 4. Re-roofing of Central Library Building at Main Campus, 5. 500 KVA Generator,6. 2 Comrade Luxurious Bus (42 Seated) and Rehabilitation of Provost Lodge, Ogbeha Quarters and other numerous projects.
The former Vice Chancellor, Prof Agbebaku has attracted the following TETFUND projects: The TETFUND projects which Prof Cordelia Agbebaku has attracted are: 1. the construction of 3-in-1 300 Capacity Lecture Theatre at Permanent Site, 2. Construction of Faculty of Social Sciences Building Complex at Permanent Site, 3. Procurement and Supply of 969 Volumes of Books in 26 Subject areas to the University Central Library, 4.Procurement of Brand new Toyota(STD) roof No. Bus Ambulance Equipped Medical Facilities at University Health Centre, 5. Procurement of 35 qualities of Electronic Library Equipment at Faculty of Clinical Science Library, 6. Procurement of 100KVA/1104C44TA922 at University Central Library, 7. Procurement of Teaching and Research Equipment for the Departments in the College of Medicine, Department of Architecture and Computer Science. Other TETFUND Projects are: 1.Furnishing of the 1000 Capacity Lecture Theatre with Modern theatre seats including rehabilitation of the ceiling and painting at Main Campus, 2. Procurement and installation of Language Laboratory Facilities in the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, 8. Procurement and installation of Furniture and Equipment for the Department of Political Science, 9. Procurement and installation of Furniture, Fittings and Equipment for the Faculty of Law, 10. Procurement of various laboratory works Facilities Equipment for water supply and standby Generators, 11. Construction and Furnishing of Faculty of Arts Office Block and Lecture Halls.
Outside from the fact that the Comrade Governor had increased their monthly subvention with over 150%, he had also given them what I will call bailout funds, or infrastructural funds which have been applied very judiciously and prudently by the management and Board of AAU to deliver infrastructure development to the overwhelming students of that institution. “Needless to count that in the last 6 to 7 years, we have been able to build 4 different 500 capacity lecture theatres outside the one that was generously donated by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, that would make it 5. We have also completed a project that was abandoned in 1992, which is the Moot Court in the Faculty of Law. That was completed in 2015, Edo State Government has built 15 Professorial offices for the Professors and that entails apart from the Professors offices, you have the secretary and other supporting staff offices, we have built 2 laboratories in the basics medical sciences. it has also built the Fine and Applied Art Dept. It has also built the Agric Extension Science Dept, brand new and if you go to Emaudo Campus, you will also see another departmental building there and a 500 capacity lecturer theater.
“So outside from the other programs that it had commenced, the Comrade Governor at the last visit to commission some of those projects also promised the university another 600 million naira grant which is tied to infrastructure because according to him, if they have been able to improved on infrastructure of the institution by utilizing very prudently the grant given them before, then it was now compelling for him to do more and he decided to give 600 million grant to the institution.
“So outside from the other programs that it had commenced, the Comrade Governor at the last visit to commission some of those projects also promised the university another 600 million naira grant which is tied to infrastructure because according to him, if they have been able to improved on infrastructure of the institution by utilizing very prudently the grant given them before, then it was now compelling for him to do more and he decided to give 600 million grant to the institution.
I want to tell the PDP to continue to tell Edo people what they did to the collective patrimony of Edo State in terms of management of resources, in terms of infrastructural developments and what have you because the Oshiomhole in the last 7 and half years have been able to put on ground what people can see, what people can feel and a commonality of our existence have been further improved by the quality of the infrastructure we have been able to build.
Inwalomhe Donald, public affairs analyst, Benin City, Edo State.
