The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has expressed sadness over the June 9 inferno at the University of Jos Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

It said the incident was a huge loss to the veterinary profession and the entire nation.

The association said this in a statement by its Spokesperson, Gloria Daminabo.

The Inferno was said to have resulted from a tanker loaded with petrol which lost control and crashed into the hospital premises.

Daminabo listed facilities that were gutted by the fire to include the public health laboratory and all its equipment, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), treatment rooms, Parasitology laboratory, all consulting rooms, pharmacy and security post.

Daminabo described the newly built teaching hospital as a well-equipped standard veterinary teaching hospital and one of the best in the country.

“The teaching hospital is a pride of the veterinary profession in Nigeria which situates the Animal coded side of Food Security and Safety, Animal Assisted General Security, Public Health, and Wildlife Diversity and Population Control.

“NVMA sympathises with the University of Jos community and Plateau State on this terrible situation,” said the spokesperson.

She however called on both federal and state governments, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support the quick rebuilding of the veterinary teaching hospital in order to restore its activities and essential services.

She assured that the association would continue in its role to preserve humanity through promoting animal health and welfare.

Twenty-four students of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Delta State have bagged First Class degrees as the institution sets to install a new Chancellor in their Third Convocation ceremony.

The 3rd Convocation Ceremony is scheduled to hold on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th June 2022 for the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 sets.

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh made the revelation yesterday during a Pre Convocation press briefing at the school Campus.

Rim-Rukeh said that, “I am elated to inform you that in the 3rd Convocation ceremony, a total of 1,409 (made up of 1,201 First Degrees, 101 Post Graduate Diploma and 107 Masters Degrees) graduands will be receiving their certificates from our two Colleges and the school of Post Graduate studies.

“The figures comprised of 24 First Class, 438 Second Class Upper Division, 619 Second Class Lower Division and 120 Third Class Degrees respectively.

“It will also feature the installation of HRM, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Akarigbo & Paramount Ruler of Remo Land as the new Chancellor of the Institution.”

The VC said that the ceremony will mark a deviation from the past where convocation is based on double helix model of Government and University to the triple helix model of e, University and Industry.

He further said the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB) Simbi Wabote, will deliver the convocation lecture themed, “Defining the value of Local Content in Petroleum Education.”

Rim-Rukeh also said that there will be a roundtable where industry experts will be discussing topics bordering the training needs of the institution as part of the activities.

The VC said high point of the event will be the Investiture of five prominent Nigerians that have contributed immensely to the growth of the nations economy with Honourary doctorate of FUPRE.

He listed them as; Rotimi Williams Ajileye, Chief Executive Alpha Integrated Energy Services, Alfred Irabor Okoigun, Group Managing Director of Arco Group Plc, Owen Omogiafo, President and Group CEO of Tanscorp Nigeria Plc, Monday John Onyeme, Chairman, DBIR and Daniel Elozino Omoyibo, CEO, DANMOTECH Group.

Rim-Rukeh concluded that over 18 patents breakthrough of lecturers of the Institution shall be on display as the institution is set to partner, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, MAN with a view to commercialization of the Rights

The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities said it is awaiting the response of the Federal Government on its demands.

As reported earlier, the Federal Government’s renegotiation committee headed by Nimi Briggs met with ASUU leadership on Monday in continuation of the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU 2009 agreements with the four university unions, which are all currently on strike.

Responding to the outcome of the meeting, The President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, told news correspondents that the meeting was fair, saying they were expecting the government to respond to the issues they discussed with the committee.

When asked if ASUU would call the strike off soon since it had a fair deliberation with Briggs committee, Osodeke said, ‘‘I don’t know if we are calling off the strike soon. We are waiting for the final response from the government.

“It is a committee of different government agencies. They need to go back to their principal and look at what we agreed on and then get back to us. When they respond to us, we will give you full details.”

He revealed that University Transparency and Accountability Solution is still undergoing test by National Information Technology Development Agency, adding that ASUU has had three meetings with the Federal Government’s committee.

Osodeke also said there was no new The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it is awaiting the response of the Federal Government on its demands.

The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government’s renegotiation committee headed by Prof. Nimi Briggs met with ASUU leadership on Monday in continuation of the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU 2009 agreements with the four university unions, which are all currently on strike.

The President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, told our correspondent that the meeting was fair, saying they were expecting the government to respond to the issues they discussed with the committee.

When asked if ASUU would call the strike off soon since it had a fair deliberation with Briggs committee, Osodeke said, ‘‘I don’t know if we are calling off the strike soon. We are waiting for the final response from the government.

“It is a committee of different government agencies. They need to go back to their principal and look at what we agreed on and then get back to us. When they respond to us, we will give you full details.”

Osodeke also revealed that University Transparency and Accountability Solution is still undergoing test by National Information Technology Development Agency. He added that ASUU has had three meetings with the Federal Government’s committee and there was no new invitation from the committee at the moment.

“They will call us when they are ready for another meeting, but none for now. We have had about three meetings with them.’’

People looking to retrain into highly-skilled careers are being given the opportunity to sign up to free courses aimed at boosting their job prospects.

Cornwall Council and Devon County Council have been awarded £1.8m from the Department for Education to run a third year of Skills Bootcamps.

While the courses are flexible and last up to 16 weeks, they offer adults the opportunity to retrain into job roles in emerging sectors.

These include the green and construction sectors, as well as healthcare, professional services and creative industries.

The bootcamps – funded by the Department for Education’s National Skills Fund – are designed alongside employers to ensure people are developing industry skills that meet current recruitment needs, with learners guaranteed an interview at the end of their training.

They will run from July 2022 until March 2023.

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council cabinet member for economy, said; “Recruitment difficulties and skills gaps are acute in some of our key sectors and more jobs in the future will require higher level skills.

“This funding gives us the opportunity to ensure people are developing industry skills that meet current recruitment needs now and in the future.”

There is a small cost for employers wishing to train their own staff, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises contribute 10% of the course costs, whereas large employers contribute 30% of the costs.