Federal Government gives universities, polytechnics and other institutions go ahead to conduct Post-UTME screening as a pre-condition to gaining admission into public institutions.

The Federal Government has lifted the ban on the conduct of examinations usually organised by universities for admission seekers after the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).

This was revealed in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, saying that Universities, Polytechnics and other institutions were free to organise post-UTME screening as a pre-condition to gaining admission into public institutions.

He explained that the Federal Government scrapped the controversial examination in order to fully understand what was going on in the institutions.

The minister added that the government was now wiser regarding the conduct of the examination.

Adamu however urged the institutions to make the fees affordable. 

“We are going to allow universities to have some choice. Universities can now decide to organise post-UTME, if they want,” he said.

“We have asked them not to impose huge financial burden on the parents. The burden should not be more than what they can bear

Benue State University Student Lament over prolong strike by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) Chapter and the  institution.

Below is a full statement by one of her students.

The 27th of July 2017 will mark the four months anniversary celebration of ASUU,BSU strike by enemies of progress who wish the worst ill luck for the Benue State University,Makurdi,and the
leadership and government of His Excellency,Dr. Samuel Orton over the persistent inability of both ASUU,BSU and the government to arrive at an amicable resolution and compromise so
as to give way for the commencement of academic activities at the institution and to pave way for the millions of Benue indigenes to realistically acquire the needed knowledge and secure better prospects of earning a living and status in the society.

It is no doubt that the closure of this great institution as a result of the lingering disagreements between government and ASUU has already taken a rapid negative penetrating effect on the emotions and idleness of the teeming youths in and outside the state. A recent investigation/survey we carried out further confirms the sociol-economic decays been caused by the closure of the University due to the absence of academic and non academic activities in the institution. Needless to mention the aggressive eruption of petty and dirty social vices among a large percentage of students who are out there roaming the streets with an undefined and hopeless academic background/history.

I have read and heard in some quarters the nature and character of grandstanding that has taken the centre stage of recent attempts
at negotiations between government and ASUU,BSU,and I have come to the view that the issue of ASUU strike and government negotiation terms cannot necessarily be resolved by grandstanding but first,all stakeholders must bear in mind that the interest of the
larger population of students is critically at stake in the light of the apparent consequences of non resolution of this industrial impasse.

In light of the above,I wish to first of appeal to the government and leadership of His Excellency,Dr. Samuel Ortom,the Governor,to as a matter of the love we know he has for humanity and development quickly see to the resolution of the industrial action in BSU. It is no doubt that Benue people are very quick at holding governments
responsible for anything that is bad or wrong whether real or imagined. To this extent,let it not be in the history of Benue State that it was during Dr. Samuel Ortom's government that students and the youths were denied the needed education of hope and survival in the state . On the part of ASUU,BSU,we wish to appeal to them to also see themselves as men and women of

immense concern and love for the students as they have always been and to this extent much is expected and will continue to be expected in making BSU greater therefore,they should also see to the quick resolution if this industrial action to allow students and all other activities to resume back in that great institution of learning.

# Continued Closure Of BSU Will Cause More Harm Than Good To All Stakeholders!!!

University Of Portharcourt has won 150 medals comprising 70 gold, 47 silver and 33 bronze to emerge overall winners of the 25th Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Games.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the games were held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi between April 22 and April 29.

The medals table released by the NUGA secretariat on Saturday in Makurdi, showed that a total of 57 universities contested for medals at the sports fiesta.

It also showed that UNIPORT won laurels in Judo, Athletics, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Basketball, Scrabble and Tennis.

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria with 16 medals comprising 11 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals followed a distant second while Benson Idahosa University came third with 26 medals comprising 10 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze.

University of Lagos with 20 medals, made up of 9 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze took fourth position.

University of Benin was fifth on the medals table while the host institution took the 11th position with 24 medals comprising 2 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Nuga Updates: Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi

Information reaching us from the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi by one of the athlete state that the Nuga Games has kick off fully.

The NUGA was yesterday suspended by the officials, following what they call technical hitches from the hosting University and the NUGA official.

Different sport activities has kick off  this morning already.This as show a resolution between both parties.

Football: Hosting School playing with Kaduna State University. At the time of posting this.

More update coming soon.

The Nigeria University Games Association, NUGA, has temporarily suspended the national university Games which began on Saturday in Makurdi, over what it called “technical hitches”.

NUGA Secretary-General, B. O. Orodele, who announced the suspension on Sunday in Makurdi, said that the action became necessary because “both athletes and contingent officials have not been accredited as required by the guidelines of the Games”.

“The temporary suspension will enable both the officials of NUGA and the host university to sort out the technical hitches,” he said.

Reacting to the hitches, the President of NUGA, Stephen Hanafyelto of the University of Maiduguri, blamed the confusion on the ICT Unit of the association which “defied my instructions over accreditation”.

He alleged that the ICT Unit refused to heed his instructions on the procedure for accreditation, preferring to deal with the Secretary-General.

“If the problems are not resolved before Monday, we will have no option than to cancel the Games,” he said.

The NUGA president said that more than 450 accreditation tags were needed for both athletes and officials.

Reacting to the threats of cancellation, Emmanuel Kucha, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, the host institution, said that the university should not be punished “for the sins of others”.

“The problem is between the Secretary-General and the President of NUGA, and not the host institution; we have done all they asked us to do. We provided facilities and venues.

“How can they take such an arbitrary decision after we have spent so much money? Do they know where we got the money from?

“As far as University of Agriculture, Makurdi is concerned, we are ready. We have done our part. We should not be victims of any disagreement between two NUGA officials,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the opening football match of the fiesta, between the host institution and the Kaduna State University (KASU), rescheduled from Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday, had to be postponed again, owing to the confusion over accredited athletes.

No date has been fixed for the game and other subsequent soccer outings.

A cross section of athletes, who spoke on the development, expressed dissatisfaction over the confusion that had enveloped the games.

The athletes regretted the poor arrangements from NUGA and the host university, and called for a timely resolution of the differences and the technical hitches, so that the games would resume.

Mr. Hanafyelto also said NUGA is not satisfied with facilities at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi though it is staging the Games there.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the association had to postpone the Games preliminaries and shift the Games several times to allow UAM to fix its facilities.

He said the association had been in Makurdi several times, including its last visit in February to ensure that facilities were ready for the Games.

The NUGA president disclosed that the choice of alternative venues with better facilities within Makurdi was to protect the integrity of the competition.

“When it became obvious that no other institutions will take up the hosting of the Games, the options available to us were either to stage them at the National Stadium, Abuja, or further postpone them.

“If we had opted for postponement to get adequate facilities, they wouldn’t be held even in 2019.

“That is why swimming is holding at the National Stadium Abuja, because the swimming pool here will gulp about N200 million to be ready for use.

“It was at that stage that we decided to go into the town to source for alternative venues with better facilities for the Games,” he said.

NAN reports that the Games are holding in Vaatia College, Makurdi Club, Aper Aku Stadium, Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School and the Sports Complex of the Makurdi university.

He therefore, advised coaches, heads of university contingent and athletes to manage available facilities for the success of the Games.

“I know that they are supposed to lay tartan tracks for athletics but we will make do with what we have to select athletes that will represent us at the World University Games later in China.

“Any athlete that can win running on sand will excel competing on tartan tracks.’’

However, the Vice-Chancellor of UAM, Emmanuel Kucha, in an earlier interview with NAN had said the university’s facilities were okay for the Games.

He disclosed that the institution invested about N500 million on facilities, explaining that some were “built from scratch while others were upgraded’’.

Also corroborating Kucha’s views, the institutions Director of Sports, Stephen Awen, took exception to allegations of inadequate facilities, saying NUGA had certified them in a pre-Games inspection visit to the school