Admiralty Varsity Distance Itself From Students’ Protest
BY GRACE ANYANWU, ABUJA – The management of the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), in Delta State, has said that the institution cannot be blamed for last week’s protest by a group of students under the sponsorship of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) over alleged reduction of their stipend (called In-Training Allowance).
Acting President of ADUN, Professor Leonard Shilgba, who stated this on Wednesday, also expressed the management of the University’s regrets for the inconvenience caused by the action taken by the group on and around the University campus.
Shilgba explained that the University is not responsible for fixing or determining the allowances paid or payable by PAP to any of their sponsored students.
He noted that on April 5, 2019, students on the PAP studying at the university, embarked on a protest along the Ibusa – Ugwashi Uku Expressway.
According to him; “The students were demanding payment of their stipend (called In-Training Allowance) by their sponsors – the Presidential Amnesty Program Office – which they claimed was reduced from 70,000 per month to 25,000 per month by the PAP Office in Abuja.”
“The students were also requesting that those of them who were considered ineligible for admission be “regularized” by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and allowed to register for 100 Level courses at ADUN, even though they do not possess the required JAMB results and cut off points.”
“While most of the protesting students are not fully registered at the Admiralty University of Nigeria and the protest was not directed at the University, management expresses regrets for the inconvenience caused by the action taken by this group on and around the University campus.”
Shilgba, said that ADUN has established high standards for its students, adding that the University would continue to uphold same in as much as it is willing to do everything possible to make its education accessible to indigent students and other candidates from other vulnerable groups.
He further said; “We express our deep appreciation to the Nigerian security forces in the area and community members for their quick intervention that ensured a quick resolution of the situation and resumption of normal academic activities at the University within a very short time.”
The statement further said that all the affected students would be thoroughly screened before they will be considered for resumption at the University.
The Admiralty University of Nigeria was founded by the Nigerian Navy in partnership with international partners offering, among others, degree programmes in emerging fields that include Forensic Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Computer Science, and regular degree programmes in other areas, starting now with three faculties: Arts and Social Sciences, Management Sciences, and Science.
The University which is fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), admits students through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and is currently accepting applications for admission from candidates who are now writing the 2019/2020 JAMB, even if they did not select it when they registered for the examination.
According to the acting President, Admission is currently ongoing for the 2019/2020 academic session.
