Date: 2018-01-16

The Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, says in spite of the challenges posed by the ongoing nationwide non-academic staff strike and fuel crisis, the university will not join the strike.

Abdulkareem made this assertion on Monday in Ilorin at a three-day unscheduled visit to the various faculties of the university to monitor the ongoing registration of fresh students.

Speaking at the Faculty of Physical Sciences, the vice-chancellor said his administration was determined to work for a near seamless take-off of academic activities.

He said the ongoing strike of the non-academic staff was a challenge to everybody.

The vice-chancellor said he had made several visits to Abuja to sort-out delays in the payment of earned allowances of both the academic and non- academic staff.

He noted that today his efforts were yielding fruits, adding that the goal of the University was to ensure academic stability, so that students graduate at the right time.

Abdukareem commended all the staff of the University for keeping the academic calendar running in spite of fuel crisis pains and ongoing nationwide non-academic strike.

He said the university administration recognised the authorities of the labour unions both locally and nationally, and would desire obedient workers who recognise and reference authorities no matter how inconvenient.

He however, noted that peace would soon be restored in the education sector.

"But while negotiations are ongoing, let's go the extra mile to keep our calendar running," he pleaded.

In his remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation), Prof. Gabriel Olatunji, who was also, among the team that visited the faculties, suggested that faculties should adapt to the current challenges.

Olatunji further suggested that the Faculty of Agriculture should split the registration centres to five in order to reduce the long queues observed at the faculty.

He also advised that it was possible to screen fresh students using youth corps members and PhD students and thus stick to the academic registration deadlines despite non-availability of some workers.

The Dean of Agriculture, Prof Kola Joseph, listed delays in uploading registration courses by level advisers; delays in clearing students from Central Admission Office and poor internet connectivity as the challenges facing the faculty.

Others are shortage of manpower and paucity of funds among others. He urged the university management to send more officers to assist the faculty in the registering of the students.

NAN