Benue Varsity Signs MoU With private developer to Construct 1000 Units of  student’s Hotels

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

The Moses Orshio Adasu University Makurdi (MOAUM) former Benue State University (BSU), on Wednesday said it has entered into partnership and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with private developer to construct 1000 units of student’s hostels to address  persistent problem of accommodations being faced by students of the institution.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Simon Terver Ubwa announced this, while interacting with members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council at his office.

Ubwa who enumerated some of the challenges facing the institution, to includes; poor electricity supply, inadequate water supply, hotel  accommodations, etc, said he has been able to restore lights and water supply to the hostels, staff quarters and the school clinic to make learners and teachers more comfortable.

“No university can address issue of accommodation completely. But for us, we are doing our best. Just recently, 

“We have signed MOU with a private developer to build over 1000 unit of hostels as well as the TETFUND to build hostels in the institution. 

“We hope that by next year, the issue of accommodation would been solved substantially.

“When I resumed office in June 2025, water was an issue on campus. I saw the way students, especially the female students, went about suffering in search of water and I didn’t like it. I said water must be pumped. 

“There was no water in the staff Quarters, so I called engineers from Water Board to get it fixed. We replaced the broken pipes and now there is water supply.

“Our cables used to be vandalized, the meter in the library was not working, we have 9 generators on campus that were down, all of these have been repaired. JEDC substation was faulty, we ensure that students welfare is paramount. Staff at the clinic were using phone lights to fix drips and even when there was a generator. 

“We have fixed all that and I supervised the workers down to the cleaners myself to ensure things are done rightly”, he stated 

Ubwa who decried the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Non Academic Staff Union of the University (NASU) explained that he was not happy about the ongoing strike, even though it is not affecting academic activities in the institution.

According to him, government was already looking into their demands and pleaded with the union to sheath their sword and return to work.

“Tripartite meeting was held between  government representatives, university management and the union during which an MOU was signed,. The 35 percent minimum wage implementation started last year. 

“We have met the demand leaving 25 percent for wage allowance, and the 35 percent wage award depending on each level and step of individual staff.

“In 2021 some of  them were qualified to be promoted and  in 2024 some of the staff got double promotions and we forwarded all the recommendations to the government in 2025, but we’re yet be implemented, which had triggered the ongoing strike.

“It may interest you to know that the governor is well disposed to ensure that the welfare of staff is well taking care of. Even when the matter got to the governor, he directed SSG, HOS, and the AG who met with the staff who made all the necessary corrections and MoU was signed between government and the union. was sent to Govt but not implemented. When the promotion was made it had to be retrieved from Govt. 

“In addition to that, the chairman in council passionately pleaded with the union leadership to give the government  and the institution till end of September for the issue in contention to be resolved. 

“We are not happy that some staff of the institution are on strike,  we are considering their Issues”, the acting VC said.