Nasarawa varsity introduces whistle-blowing mechanism to curb sharp practices

Management of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) has launched a whistle-blowing policy towards checking rising cases of sharp and unethical practices among staff and students of the institution.

The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, launched the policy Wednesday in Keffi during a programme with a theme, “Campaign Against Unethical Conduct in NSUK’’.

Mohammed said that the university had decided to put a stop to a mere pontification on unethical conduct in order to frontally attack the menace.

“If you see something, say something by blowing the whistle to the committee, which is empowered to investigate and invite anybody that is implicated.

“I know the perpetrators will fight back, but I want to assure you all that with our strong determination, they will fail.

“In this war, we will be fair, just and transparent. Everything will be based on the time-tested principle of rule of law and there will be no sacred cow in this battle.

“Among the students, unethical conducts include membership of secret cult, cheating in exam halls, not attending lectures, fighting and abusing, rape, indecent dressing, prostitution, among others.

“Among the academic staff, it includes not attending lectures regularly, not attending to students’ scripts and projects, selling of handouts and books, sexual harassment, among others.

“Among the non-academic staff, failure or collecting money to attend to students, keeping students on long queue, altering scores, examinations expo, sexual harassment, among others.

“All these will have to be stamped out of our system in the interest of the education sector and for societal development,’’ Professor Mohammed said.

Mohammed solicited the support of the university community and other stakeholders for the fight against unethical conduct to be effective.

The institution’s chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and president, Student Union Government, Dr Tanimu Yusuf and Mr Victor Tsaku, respectively, assured the vice chancellor of their support towards fighting the menace.

In his vote of thanks, Mr Bala Ahmed, the registrar of the university, commended the vice chancellor for launching the campaign.

He said that it would go a long way in sanitising the system as well as improve the standard of education in the institution and the state at large.