NUC conducts forensic survey of Achievers varsity

Nigeria’s National Universities Commission (NUC) has commenced a forensic survey of the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, having lifted the suspension of the university’s operational license in July 2012.

The leader of the survey team, Prof. Mohammed Dukku, said that the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, had directed the team to carry out the survey.

The directive was given following some of the actions taken by the university authorities to effect the lifting of the suspension order on its operational license by the NUC.

The university authorities, according to the commission had agreed to stop its “bridge programme” pending the clearance with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The NUC said in a letter written to the university that it was satisfied with the actions so far taken by the university and the assurances given by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebayo Odebiyi, the Board Of Trustees (BOT) during interactions and subsequent verification of documents.

“Consequently, I am directed to inform the Vice-Chancellor that the suspension of operational license of Achievers University, Owo has been lifted with effect from July 17, 2012.

“The Commission would, however, continue to monitor the implementation of the agreed actions,’’ the NUC stated in a letter.

The inspection team also conducted inspection on the university lecture rooms, halls, offices, ITC laboratory, e-library, students hostels and some on-going projects of the institution.

The NUC team was also mandated to examine the university’s admission process to ensure strict compliance with extant regulations, the student grading system in place, and ascertain the status of academic programme offered, among others.

The vice-chancellor told NAN that the “bridge programme’’ which the NUC directed the institution to suspend was its Higher National Diploma (HND), Bachelors of Science (BSC) Linkage Programme holding in designated centres.

Odebiyi said the programme was put in place to afford HND holders the opportunity to obtain a degree in two years, stressing that about 300 people were on for the programme.

The NUC has also commenced a forensic audit exercise at the Joseph Ayo Babalola University(JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun.

Prof. Eugene Okpere, who led a five-man team which arrived the institution on Monday, said the exercise would be comprehensive.

Emphasis, he said, would be on academic infrastructure, output and inputs as well as quality of staff, teaching and students.

He said the quality of physical infrastructure and management, how well the university was functioning and how it was projecting itself as well as its impact on the community would be examined.

The team, he added, would also examine how well the university was obeying the rules and regulations put in place by the NUC.

He promised that the team would be fair in its assessment but urged the university to provide information needed for a thorough exercise.

In his address of welcome, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Sola Fajana, commended the commission for the restoration of the university’s licence.

Fajana informed the visiting team that 23 of the university’s programmes were fully accredited while four have interim accreditation.

He promised that the institution, which was established six years ago, would continue to promote higher education and the advancement of mankind.

The vice chancellor, however, urged the team to assist the institution’s management to identify areas which needed improvement.

“We are set to go beyond excellence; we are clamouring for distinction, this will be made possible through the kind cooperation of our forensic auditors,’’ he said.