UniJos VC Prof Maimako  laments frequent encroachment of institution’s properties by farmers/herdsmen 

By Golok Nanmwa, Jos

Vice chancellor of the University of Jos Professor Sebastian Maimako on Tuesday lamented the frequent encroachment into the University properties by farmers .

He made this known while addressing newsmen in Jos on the occasion  of the 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremony .

Maimako said ” from issues of acute infrastructure deficit ,inadequate funding funding and manpower to the security breaches and frequent encroachment into the university,s property among others ,it behooves on our stakeholders including Alumni ,various tiers and agencies of government ,beneficiary communities and especially our proprietor the federal government ,to join us in concerted effort to squarely address these challenges .”

“We don’t have funds to secure our properties  and that’s why people are encroaching into them.”

He also said” A vital ingredient for the success being recorded by the university is the unwavering focus it places on providing high quality teaching based on high quality research.”

Maimako said “We are been driven by the passion to always achieve more and enhance our reputation nationally and internationally ,for this reason ,we have always ensured that the academic programmes being run in the university are relevant to the needs of people within the University,s catchment area and the country at large by providing an excellent balance between the essential principles of theorem and the practical applications of scientific innovative or creative endeavor ,these programmes are tailored to produce critical manpower with the requisite skills to make them future Titians in their chosen fields of endeavor 

He also said ” Within the past year ,the National Universities Commission NUC undertook QN accreditation exercise for a qualitative assessment of twenty academic programmes in the university, the technical report released  by the NUC following that exercise indicates that seventeen of the affected programmes secured full accreditation status while 3 were denied accreditation ,the programmes given full accreditation are Guidance and counselling ,English Education, French Education, History Education, Religious studies ,social studies ,special education ,Architecture and building ,others include medicine and surgery ,Pharmacy ,computer science ,Geology ,microbiology ,Zoology ,Geography and planning as well as mass communication ,I am made to understand that the 3 that were  denied accreditation were not so categorized because they failed the quality assurance test but because of the NUC policy that programmes which are not deemed suitable for back to back interim accreditation are out rightly denied accreditation ,the affected programmes ,include chemistry and Botany did not have their bid for full accreditation approved  

The university has always tried to develop its physical infrastructure and facilities to am appreciable level to make it more conducive for high quality teaching and research activities ,hundreds of millions of naira are being invested on new buildings ,laboratories ,classrooms and equipment ,the federal government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund TETFUND and other funding instruments is providing interventionist measures towards addressing the university,s infrastructural challenges . 

Several new construction projects and rehabilitation works have either been completed or at various levels of completion  these includes new buildings for the faculties of engineering ,management sciences ,and social sciences ,new postgraduate students hostel ,college of medicine library at JUTH Lamingo campus  extension work at  school of post graduate  studies and the university health services clinic and completion of the new senate building at the Naraguta campus ,others are rehabilitation of the Naraguta campus  library complex ,the center of excellence in Phytomedcine complex at the Bauchi road staff quarters ,completion of faculty of Arts (Block B) as well as the provision of laboratory equipment ,furniture and other facilities to aid teaching ,research and community engagement .

I am pleased to also announce that the University senate has approved and the governing council has ratified the conferment of Honorary Degrees on three eminent Nigerias whose contribution to National development deserves commendation ,his Royal Highness Engr John Mallo Makwal ,chairman of Bajefta Group Nigeria limited will be conferred with the Doctor of Engineering Degree Honoris Causa for his outstanding contribution to the development of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria ,the development of education and for his philanthropic and community development efforts 

Also immediate past chairman of the Police service commission ,sir Mike Okiro will be conferred with the Doctor of laws degree Honoris Causa LLD  for his exemplary conduct and leadership during a stellar career in the Nigerian Police force ,Also to be confirmed with the Doctor of science Degree is Professor Umar Garba Danbatta ,executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission NUC.

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UniJos VC Prof Maimako  laments frequent encroachment of institution’s properties by farmers/herdsmen