NUC closes 6 illegal varsitiesFrom Clement Idoko and Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
THE National Universities Commission (NUC), on Monday, said it had closed down six out of the 47 illegal universities operating in the country, with pending nine cases in court.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/sep/29/610.html The Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Julius Okojie, while speaking in Abuja, on Monday, at a workshop it organised on the revision of the step-B project implementation manual, lamented the increasing cases of illegal universities in the country, despite the effort of the commission to stem the tide.
According to the Monday Bulletin of the commission, the NUC had blacklisted 47 of these illegal universities, secured court order closing down six of the them while nine others were being investigated in courts.
The six illegal universities already closed down are: Atlantic International University, Okija, Anambra State; Open International University, Akure, Ondo State; Middle Belt University (North Central University), Otukpo, Benue State; Leadway University, Ughelli, Delta State; Metro University, Dutse/Bwari, Abuja and Southend University, Ngwuro Egeru (Afam) Ndoki, Rivers State.
The commission warned those who patronised these illegal universities that certificate obtained from them would not be recognised for the purpose of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), employment and for further studies.
It advised candidates intending to further their education to go through the normal process and eschew backdoor admissions that would land them in trouble or acquisition on invalid certificates.
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Lagos and Archbishop of Ecclesiastical province of Lagos, Most Reverend Adebola Ademowo, on Monday, called on the Federal Government to resume negotiations with the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The cleric, at a church service to commemorate the opening of the 2009/2010 legal year in Lagos, said the Federal Government needed to act on the protracted strike by finding a lasting solution to the crisis.