The management of Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, formerly known as Benue State University, is partnering with a private developer to build a 1600-capacity students’ hostel.

The institution’s acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ubwa, told journalists on Wednesday in Makurdi that no Nigerian university has adequate hostel accommodation for her students.

Mr Ubwa explained that the university has signed a memorandum of understanding with a private developer to reduce the students’ accommodation challenges.

The vice chancellor said that apart from the partnership, the Federal Government (FG) would build a hostel for medical students of the institution.

He stated that the FG, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), would build hostel accommodation for clinical and nursing students.

According to him, the gesture is part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration scheme to provide accommodation for medical students in Nigerian universities.

He added, “In the entire Nigerian university system there is no university with adequate hostel accommodation. As we are talking, the university has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private developer who is coming to build 1600-capacity hostels here. Again, the presidential intervention team for colleges of health sciences in the country is coming to build hostels for clinical students, nursing students and other students.

“By next year the accommodation challenges will be addressed substantially with this intervention from TETFUND and the private developer. However, there is no way that we can accommodate all the students on campus.’’

Mr Ubwa also said that the university promoted 120 senior lecturers/readers to the ranks of associate professors and professors.

The VC explained that the remaining 26 pending promotions would be done in the next council meeting.

He gave assurance that his administration prioritised staff welfare and a conducive working environment for all staff through the provision of water, regular power supply, and others.

He said the issue of the wage award and minimum wage that necessitated the non-academic staff to embark on strike action would soon be addressed.

(NAN)