Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to make objectivity and fairness as part of its guiding principles while performing its statutory oversight functions across universities in the country.
Governor Diri made the call when a four-member accreditation team from the National Universities Commission for assessment of the Niger Delta University Faculty of Law, paid a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Governor stressed the need for NUC accreditation teams to carry out their assessments of universities in such a way that will promote the improvement of standards and quality education in the country.
Governor Diri, who underscored the importance of periodic accreditation exercises, urged the visiting team to objectively identify the strengths and weaknesses of the NDU Law Faculty to enable government make necessary adjustments for the university to achieve its set goals.
According to the Bayelsa Chief Executive, there is the need for continuous improvement in every education system, no matter how developed it may be, to enable its institutions of learning address emerging realities.
While assuring the accreditation team of his administration’s commitment to advancing the cause of education in the state, he informed that efforts were on top gear to upgrade facilities at the law faculty, including hostel accommodation and a more befitting faculty building at the Yenagoa campus.
The aim, according to the Governor, is to raise the admission quota for law students to about 150 in each academic session without compromising standards.
His words: “First, let me on behalf of the governor, welcome you to Bayelsa State. We are excited to host you on this accreditation visit because we consider every accreditation exercise as an opportunity for us to know our strength and weakness.
”As a government, we are very committed to providing additional facilities and structures for our premier university, especially the Law Faculty main building. We are even making arrangements to acquire a property for hostel accommodation for the students there.
”There is always need for improvement in the running of a university system, no matter how developed. So, let us know our areas of weaknesses and opportunities; help us to improve the faculty of law. We are ready to make the necessary adjustments to improve the faculty.”
Speaking earlier, the Leader of the NUC Accreditation team to the NDU Law Faculty, Professor Oladipo Solanke of the Ajayi Crowther University, said they were in the state to ascertain the level of NDU’s compliance with the regulatory agency’s guidelines and not to witch-hunt anyone or the institution.
Professor Solanke, who promised to make the final report available to the Governor, thanked the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, for his unrelenting efforts at developing the NDU Faculty of Law, especially for making time out of his very busy schedules to teach the students twice a week.
The NUC team was accompanied on the visit by the Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, Professor Allen Agih; the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Gogo Otuturu, the Faculty Examination Officer, Dr Richard Ogbe, and other principal officers of the university.
