By Cyril Mbah, Abuja
The management of Nasarawa State University has moved another step further in its determination to rid the institution of unethical practices among students, academic and non-academic staff by launching a portal for anonymous complaints against anti-social behaviour.
It was gathered that the whistle blowing platform will use both formal and non-formal communication methods to generate information on illegal practices by lecturers or non-academic staff and students who belong to cult groups and harass or intimidate innocent students.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, who made this known at the 2019/2020 matriculation ceremony of the institution held in Keffi last weekend stressed that “the university frowns in totality at unethical conducts by both students and staff.
“Students and staff must shun all cult activities, unholy assembly, drug abuse, examination malpractices and other social vices,” he warned.
Professor Mohammed disclosed that the university launched the whistle blowing policy to help regulate further the conduct of both staff and students who aim at derailing the culture of morality and sound attitudinal behaviour.
He warned further that the university will not tolerate indecent and uncultured dressing habits and students who fail to comply with the standard and acceptable codes of dressing will not be allowed into the university.
In a brief interview after the matriculation ceremony, the vice chancellor assured that every necessary procedure will be put in place to protect the identity of whistle blowers saying the policy was put in place to help sanitise the academic environment and check the excesses of students and unscrupulous staff members who may wish to take advantage of their positions.
Only about 6210, out of more than 20, 000 candidates, who applied for admission into the university were successful and the list showed that the Faculty of Social Sciences got the highest number of intakes with 1885 students. Others are Faculty of Natural and Applied Science, 1390, Faculty of Administration 1201, Faculty of Education 683, Faculty of Arts 496 students while the Faculty of Agriculture followed with 245 students and the Faculty of Environmental Studies got 244 students even as the Faculty of Law came last with only 66 students.