NUC’s suspension won’t affect programmes inaffected varsities —Reps

THE House of Representatives has assured students
of the six private universities affected in the
suspension of operational licences by the National
Universities Commission (NUC) of continuation of
their programmes.
Chairman, House Committee on Public Petition,
Honourable Uzo Azubike, gave the indication on
Thursday, at the opening of the public hearing on a
petition filed by Lead City University, Ibadan.
He said the committee had been reliably informed
that suspension of the licences of the six universities,
whether competent or not, would not affect the
continuation of the academic programmes in the
institutions.
Those affected were Lead City University, Ibadan;
Obong Ntak University, Akwa Ibom; Madonna
University, Okija; Caritas University, Enugu; Tansian
University, Umunya and Achievers University, Owo.
However, following compliance to the suspension
order and efforts to remedy the problems, the NUC
had, three days ago, lifted the suspension of Joseph
Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, which
was earlier suspended alongside others.
Honourable Azubike said the House was worried
about the suspension, especially about the fate of the
current students undergoing studies in the affected
institutions.
He, however, expressed displeasure that only Lead
City University management had not approached the NUC in finding ways to resolving the crisis.
Deputy Executive Secretary of NUC, Mr Akinbode
Agbaoye, who represented the Executive Secretary,
Professor Julius Okojie, while responding to the
petition filed by Lead City, Agbaoye said the
institution had a history of complete disregard for the NUC's regulatory role.
However, the chancellor of the university, Professor
Gabriel Ogunmola, said the university had always
complied with all lawful directives of the NUC, adding that the commission had no justification to withdraw its licence.