Worried by the dearth in the number of academic staff at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the management of the institution has co-opted 150 non-academic staff in the university into teaching cadre.

The vice-chancellor, Prof. Imuentiyan Salami, who disclosed on Wednesday in Benin during the first anniversary of her assumption of office, said that accreditation of courses at the university which have been postponed will now be centralised to ease the burden on departments and facilities.

Mrs Salami said that policies which appear to constitute a clog in the wheel of the development of the institution are either been reversed, de-emphasized, abolished or strengthened.

Against the backdrop of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, the vice-chancellor noted that the school has lived up to expectations in the various interventionist measures of the disease.

Prof Salami said: “Responding to the need to curb this challenge, the university’s researchers came up with problem-solving mechanisms; various breakthroughs were achieved in the year under review.

“Our team of researchers known as COVID-19 Initiative headed by Prof. Ken Obahiagbon produced a clinically tested prototype ventilator and also produced the now high in demand three-in-one hand wash machine.”

She added that the year 2020 has been a most challenging one with the COVID-19 menace coupled with the strike action by university teachers but the management has however remained focused and determined to make a difference in the life of the institution.

While paying glowing tributes to all her colleagues for the support, the vice-chancellor said that against all odds, the school has witnessed a lot of facelift in terms of renovation of classrooms and hostels, staff quarters asphalting of some roads, power supply, beautification of the campus, library, and other critical infrastructure. (Nigerian Tribune)

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