44 Years After Establishment, Niger College Battles Decaying Facilities, Accreditation Issues
The students of Niger State College of Agriculture in Mokwa town, are lamenting over the worsening of some irregularities within the state-owned institution.
The college, which was established in June 1979, is suffering from decayed buildings, non-accredited courses and other plights among students of the institution.
Students Staged Protest, Demand Courses Accreditation
On Monday, students of the college domiciled in Mokwa community staged a peaceful protest, demanding accreditation of Animal Health Technology and Horticultural courses.
The aggrieved students who protested within the institution’s premises were seen, displaying placards with different captions.
One of the students who craved anonymity for fear of victimization told WikkiTimes, saying a peaceful protest was organized due to the neglected attitude of the management.
“Our courses, which are animal health and horticulture, are not accredited. The school has graduated almost two sets now and another set will soon finish their exam but we can’t go for NYSC”, the bereaved student told WikkiTimes.
He stated that the protest was geared towards management who promised students that the courses would soon be accredited. The student said it would cause damages for them, if nothing is done positively, noting that they will be exempted from going to NYSC.
Students protesting with placards
The student laments, “There is no practical equipment. No drugs to treat animals in the department and no lectures as many of them have moved to various ministries.
Appealing to the government, the student urged concerned stakeholders and the government to intervene on their plight and have their courses accredited.
“We hope the government should intervene to have our courses accredited”, he said. “We had spent a lot running the courses and had sleepless nights”.
Another aggrieved student, Ahmed Suleiman, who recently graduated from Animal Health Technology department, narrated that protest was held due to non-accredited courses in the state-owned college.
“The protest was organized due to non-accredited courses in the college”, he told WikkiTimes.
Protesting on the college’s gate
According to him, the management is also not relenting and striving on the issue as some salary percentage was deducted From their December salary.
“All of our school staff including non-academic had their salary deducted by the management to settle and build the theater Lab for accreditation.
“Management held a meeting with us once the clinic is renovated. All will be fine. But they often keep calming us down to be patient”, he said, emphasizing that NYSC has a limited age.
Suleiman noted that his colleagues have exceeded age limits while some will exceed next year.
Students displayed placards during protest
He said, “Our students don’t have good welfarism. The school is crippled financially. The school has had no electricity for two months now.
While appealing, the student urged the government to look into their school as lack of infrastructure is frustrating the school.
Students Suffer of Strapped-Water And Live with Reptiles
Mohammed Sani Sukuni, a student of Animal Health Technology shared his experience with WikkiTimes that students face many plight in the dormitory.
Sukuni, who is a final-year student of HND, has lived in the hostel for years, saying the institution neglected the hostel.
While sharing his experience with WikkiTimes, the student said, “The plight of students in the hostel is bats’ disturbance and other reptiles”, lamenting that bats damaged the ceiling of the dormitory.
Sukuni further added that students are disturbed too with other reptiles in rainy times.
Mohammed Sani Sukuni in school
Photo credit: Yunusa Umar/WikkiTimes
“In the dry season, Bats are distant from the hostel as most of them hang on trees but Bats live with us in rainy time, hiding in the ceiling”, he said. “The management has stopped demanding accommodation fees because of the nature of the building.
While appealing to the management, he urged the students’ dormitory should be considered before it collapsed.
Similarly, Mohammed Ibrahim Ndako, a final student of Animal health Technology was frustrated when this reporter met him in the institution.
Ndako, who is also a Higher National Diploma student, narrated his ordeal that he lives with Bats in the hostel.
“The disturbed bats have made students’ hostel homes”, he told WikkiTimes. “We live together with reptiles and bats”.
WikkiTimes observed that Males’ hostel is located in a bushy area where many buildings are decayed.
“Only a few students reside in the neglected hostel now as students living in the building are not more than 15 students” he said, claiming that few of the students would leave the hostel soon.
Males’ hostel with faeces
Photo credit: Yunusa Umar/WikkiTimes
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“I returned to write exams. Some returned today and would go back the next day. “I’m also leaving on Saturday”, he said.
The students, according to Ndako, often seek help from union leaders to have water for domestic uses. “When we are given a small amount, we top it up”.
Ndako blamed management for not providing Reptiles’ chemicals to the students, saying “It is the lack of management that causes trouble for the students”.
Mohammed Ibrahim Ndako in school
Photo credit: Yunusa Umar/WikkiTimes
He appealed to the management to curb bats’ disturbances, noting that many students had fled the buildings due to the messy environment.
He recounted, “When I was in ND, the population was not compared to the present one. If the current people, the hostel will be empty”.
Ahmed Shaibu, the union leader who narrated the students’ ordeal with WikkiTimes, saying graduates of two departments protested over courses not accredited.
“The protest, which students did, was caused by non-accredited courses. Students were protesting to go to NYSC”, he said.
According to him, the management had put effort to meet the criteria of NUC but to no avail. The staff had contributed their monthly salary, explaining that 30% was deducted from the senior staff’s account while 15% was deducted from others.
“Before I assumed office, I discovered some plight including non-accreditation of some courses”, stressing that non-accredited courses had reduced students’ number from faculty departments.
In his words,”I was opportune to meet council chairman, Muregi to explain students’ plight before him. So, the chairman said he would create an opportunity for us to meet concerned bodies to give us an immediate response”.
The Union leader said his union held several meetings with management, claiming that the state has approved four million nairas to accredit courses but yet to be released.
Students’ ceiling
Photo credit: Yunusa Umar/WikkiTimes
He recounted, “The school fee was hiked and we went for dialogue despite decreasing it. It wasn’t to the expected desire”. “Last session, the four thousand nairas was added to school fees on each level.
“The institution had been in blackout before students resumed. We have been pleading with management to do the needful concerning the issue”, he said.
Male hostel in school
Photo credit: Yunusa Umar/WikkiTimes
The school, according to him, has many problems, stressing that the institution has no lecture hall, laboratory and equipment.
Shuaib told WikkiTimes that his institution needs help from the government to put necessary equipment in the institution.
“The boys’ hostel needs crucial intervention. No one is living there”, he claimed. “The rooms are linking and animals live in some rooms”, lamenting the hostel has been abandoned for a long time now.
In 2017, Governor Bello Promised to Upgrade the College but hasn’t fulfilled his Promise
In 2017, the outgoing governor, Dr. Abubakar Sani Bello made an unscheduled visit to the institution and inspected the decayed structure of the college, promising to upgrade the college with N500 million.
According to a statement obtained on the institution’s handle, “Niger State government is to spend over N500 million to upgrade the entire infrastructural facilities of the College of Agriculture, Mokwa to create a conducive atmosphere for learning.
Governor with his entourage to Mokwa
“The governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello made this known when he paid an unscheduled visit to the institution at Mokwa”, the statement reads.
He stated that his government will give the required attention to agriculture as a way of diversifying the state economy while expressing displeasure at the level of decay in the school.
The ex-Provost of the Institution, Dr Aliyu Mohammed said the school is not secured, lacks a lot of facilities and needs to carry out a total renovation of the college, adding that the school has about 900 students .
While appealing to the governor for a quick intervention, he applauded the numerous achievements of his administration
despite recession especially in the areas of education.
Checks by WikkiTimes showed that his promise hasn’t been fulfilled years after as the college remains in shambles.
Management failed to Respond
All efforts to speak with lecturers over their monthly salary deduction proved futile as two lecturers, Dr. Peter & Dr. Muhammad Abdullahi Mahmud, the head of department of Animal health technology, urged this reporter to meet approval authority.
When visited on 17th of May, Dr. Liman Rabba, the institution’s Acting Provost, declined to comment on the issues.
“We are still working as substantial provosts. You can come back when the school has a provost”, he aptly told WikkiTimes.
Doma Usman Yusuf, the institution’s Registrar’s line was not reachable. A text message sent to him has not been responded to as of press time.
As of press time, Professor Abubakar Baba Aliyu, the commissioner of Tertiary Education, Science, and Technology in the state, was unreachable. Calls and text messages sent to him, have not been responded to.
