…Funds research endeavour in FUOYE with N100 million
From Kehinde Adewole
Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has assured that his administration will put an end to the factionalization of the local branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution.
ASUU, FUOYE chapter has been factionalized following leadership crisis the Union’s local branch had when the former local chairman, Dr. Biodun Omonijo had issues with his colleagues and the management of the institution. A Congress was held in 2018 where the local branch declared that they have passed a Vote of No Confidence on him.
Omonijo was also suspended by the management over alleged official misconduct. But the new VC, Prof. Fasina in a press briefing with newsmen promised to settle the crisis rocking the Union and ensure all parties become one. He however, stressed that all parties will be charged to work in obedience to the rules of engagement guiding activities of stakeholders in the University.
According to a press statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, March 1, 2021, by S.A Media to the VC, Wole Balogun, Prof. Fasina, who addressed journalists on Friday at the Council Affairs Hall of the institution, said:
“We have started reconciliation and the reports I am hearing has been excellent. We will ensure there is peace among all warring parties and bring back our colleagues. I want to have a united ASUU. We will talk to ourselves and allow the rules of engagement that governs the University system to prevail.
“We are going to motivate our staff by creating incentives for the staff.
We will work harmoniously with the union. We will end the factionalization of ASUU in FUOYE. we have started meeting the stakeholders in ASUU.
In 100 days, I will showcase some of my achievements.
Speaking about his preparedness to take FUOYE to greater heights, he said: “I went round all the faculties of the varsity to find out what challenges they are having and I have been able to work out how to solve these problems and I am getting back to them on how to find solution to these challenges. My mission is to work on what I tagged: ‘Change FUOYE project’, with me now as VC and with the zeal that I have, I know we can do better. We are starting with a retreat which will propel us and give us the way to go.
“By April, every member must understand the vision and from then we will run the vision.
I have been able to understand stakeholders who will run the vision with me. I did a lot of posting to ensure effective impact. I have also set up a lot of Commitees on appointment, welfare and reconciliation among others.
We will soon approve the Curriculum for our new programmes. We are increasing the bandwidth of our internet system. We wil bring other innovative ideas into fruition.
While promising on urgent improvement of staff welfare, he said: ” This is very paramount to me and I have set up a committee for a staff school which will start by September. We have started a shuttle bus system and it began running from Monday, March 1, 2021, shuttling between Ado and Oye in the morning and evening. This is helping to reduce the cost of transportation of our staff by half.such that those spending N600 for transportation from Ado-Ekiti to Oye-Ekiti on daily basis will now have to spend just N300.
” I have already been making concrete plans to put in place an institute of food security in the institution. Agriculture is key to development and for us we will contribute our qouta to food security in Ekiti.
” We have what it takes to feed the whole of Ekiti starter. NISER will be our partner in planting some crops cassava , yam, potato etc. I was part of the success of the Afe Babalola University Farm (ABUAD) farm. And l know a public varsity should even be able to do better than ABUAD. The institute will be for training, research, community services and awarding professorial chair among others.
” I shall bring my wealth of experience to bear on my office in order to develop the University.
Our students who graduated here are emerging the best in the UK. Our student just won a UNESCO award. FUOYE products are among the best in the world.
” We want to have as many professional courses as possible, one of which is Data Management etc. On our plan to assist on Covid 19 vaccines, we have packaged a proposal on research and they have been filed to the government. And we are expecting their results and I am sure you will be glad for us when the results come out.
” Our institution is start also a part time programme in Christ school, Ado-Ekiti and we have in place pre-degree, JUPEB and others. All these programmes will bring money into the institution so we can use them to fund out proposed programmes.
“We will create opportunities for work study and scholarship.
We will block linkages. I have acted as an examples by having not collected some of my allowances as VC.”
“We have established a mechanism to maintain standard practice because we don’t joke with standard in this school. We already have in place a faculty of Basic Medical Sciences with six departments and this is a launchpad for a College of medicine. We are using the FMC Ido, for clinics. Oye already gave us 100 plots of land for a College of Medicine. As a researcher, l have acquired millions of grants and equipment for both Ekiti State University and Federal University Oye-Ekiti.
“We are putting a sum of N100 million as grant for research grant so some of our colleagues who are doing their PhD can assess it.
“As the chairman of the security Committee of this campus, l can assure you that we will secure FUOYE. We have approached the security operatives on the challenges of security, cultism and Yahoo etc on campus. We have a plan to tackle such issues. We will check lecturers from conniving with students in committing crimes. We will take proactive steps to ensure security on campus. We will also tackle the issue spiritually.
” We will also ensure that students are equipped with relevant enterprenurial skills. Skill acquisition is key to personal development. We are training our students to be able to create jobs for themselves and create wealth.
As for preventing students’unrest, l will solve such problems with constant dialogues with students and I don’t joke with them and I also motivate them. One of the ways in which I am motivating them is to ensure a one day VC, organize awards for best students.
” I have set up an advancement centre and even appointed a Professor, Prof. Azeez Opaniyan, to man the centre and I am very sure he will perform. We will do more of lobbying to ensure we are able to bring to fruition our proposed infrastructural projects.
We will aggressively pursue PPP ,
We will assess more of needs assessment and tetfund.
We will do a lot of advocacy and implementing our regulations to ensure discipline.
We already have a centre for enterprenurship and we will strengthen the centre for further fruitful performance.”
