UNICAL Prof Suspended Over Rlleged Rape Of Student

The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old 400-level student in hishare,,ffice was yesterday suspended by the panel instituted by the school’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivara Esu.

Professor Ndifon, who is the first professor of Law from Cross River State, was briefly arrested and detained by the police and later released on Wednesday before he was suspended yesterday evening by the panel set up to investigate him.

The professor was accused by mother of the victim, Mrs. Irene Akpan, in a letter sent to the university, alleging that the incident happened between 3 and 5pm on August 29 at the dean’s private office on the top floor of the faculty building.

According to the lady, Professor Ndifon forcibly had sex with her daughter after a fierce struggle. The school authorities confirmed receipt of complaints from the victim, while the police also affirmed it but was quick to add that the matter was undergoing thorough investigation.

Narrating her daughter’s ordeal, Mrs Akpan explained that the dean had set a one-hour test for the students on that Saturday, assigning two lecturers to carry out the supervision.

She alleged that 20 minutes to the end of allotted time, Ndifon entered the hall and ordered the students to stop writing.

She said while the students were preparing to submit their answer sheets, Ndifon approached her daughter, tore her answer sheet and left the shreds on the seat.

Mrs. Akpan said: “He walked straight to my daughter’s desk, collected the script and tore it. He left the torn script on her seat, so the girl collected the pieces and put them in her bag. According to her, you will still have to pass through the faculty before leaving the building.

“She said as they were leaving, the dean accosted her again and asked if she still had the shredded script, she said yes. He instructed her to follow him to the general dean’s office to recopy the answers on another plain sheet, which she did.”

“The unsuspecting girl followed him to the general office where two people were, including the dean’s secretary. The office of the dean is on the first floor of the building, according to my daughter.

“She said while writing in that office, the dean who had earlier gone out, came in again and instructed her to follow him to his private office on the second floor so that she could comfortably use the table.”

The victim’s mother said five minutes after getting to his private office, the dean locked the door, concealed the key and started making advances, adding that they struggled but Ndifon subdued her and had sex with the girl.

She said her daughter was later taken to Airport Police Station, along IBB Way in Calabar, where she gave statement and also had medical examinations at the police clinic.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Effiong Eyo, said the institution was seriously looking into the matter.

“A panel has been set up to look into the matter. The authorities are looking seriously into it,” Eyo said.

Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, said the command was investigating the case.

He said: “The case of rape or sexual assault requires discreet investigation and we have to handle it with care.”

Estelle says:All these Mr Lecturers sha,Na so God go dey catch una one by one.

From Militancy To Manufacturing: N-Delta Youths Shock The World With Locally Made Products

FOR  many who thought that nothing good can come out of Niger Delta, the up-to-the-minute promotion/exhibition of products manufactured and packaged by some ingenous youths of the region at Calabar, capital of Cross River State is astonishing. Under the auspices of the Calabar Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises Summit, powered by Growth and Employment in States (GEMS4) in collaboration with Made in Nigeria (MiN) Global Consulting Services, the youths displayed items, including cooking burner (plate) that smolders with bio fuel from cocoa, melon, afang, okro and other varieties of soup packaged in ready to eat forms like noodles.

Niger/Delter youths: The inventors and thier products, including cooking burner that burs with bio fuel, bags, beads, others all locally-manufacutred.

There was cocoa juice without sugar or preservatives, custard, soap, accessories made from waste clothing materials among others. Over time made in Nigeria goods have been perceived as second-rate due to packaging and branding, but a lot has changed in recent times following the intervention, financially and otherwise of local and international agencies.

What the young manufacturers need

In a chat with Niger Delta Voice, Manufacturers Associa-tion of Nigeria, MAN, Cross River/Akwa Ibom states branch, Elder Obong Jackson, argued that gone were the days when Made- in -Nigeria products were considered as sub- standard or not good enough .

Made in Nigeriaproducts

“All the items   you see being exhibited   here today are all sourced and made in Nigeria, the only thing we need,    especially the Niger Delta region is some form of encouragement,    either as loans and grants to enable such manufacturers expand their businesses,” Jackson said.

According to him, “Another challenge they are facing is the tedious and difficult process involved in registering most of the products with NAFDAC,SON as well being able to register company/products names, including getting patents to protect your invention. All these have become obstacles to so many entrepreneurs in the region.”

His words,    “The procedures for registering most of the products and entry points should be reviewed because it has discouraged many young entrepreneurs from venturing into real production and manufacturing, we really appreciate what GMES4 and MiN Global are doing to help made in Nigeria products grow.”

My husband and I invented cooking burner- Mrs Agbor

Speaking with Niger Delta Voice, an inventor, Mrs. Ndifreke Agbor, revealed that the cooking burner she invented can cook for 14 hours, 30 minutes with a litre of bio fuel and burns better than gas.

She said, “What you are looking is completely the creation of me and my husband, we are trying to get the patent before we start mass production.  As you can see, it has passed the entire test and is certified. Immediately we get the patent, it will enter the market, most of our inventions are cocoa- based, and we make soaps, custard, and fruit juice and so on.”

Thanks to GMES4 and MiN Global

Another entrepreneur, Mr. Kufre Emmanuel,    “Words alone cannot explain how we feel today, because majority of the people that consume our products are Nigerians, who live in the Diaspora ,so you can imagine what this platform will do for us, anywhere they are,    all they need do is just to order.” He also disclosed that the platform has eliminated many hurdles and made it easier to do business, both in and outside the country without stress.

NAFDAC barrier

Emmanuel, however, bemoaned how difficult it is to get NAFDAC approval for a product,    but also commended the agency for helping producers to    maintain standards,    while appealing for a review of the procedure, especially at entry point. “We have varieties of packaged soup, and we have to register all of them differently according to NAFDAC standard and it will cost    of lot of money but we are glad that the platform created by MiN consult has eliminated the middle man and it will do all of marketing too,” he added.

We mean well- NAFDAC coordinator

Cross-River state NAFDAC coordinator, Mr. Isaiah Kolawole,  explained, “The way our operations are designed is not to be an obstacle to anyone, but protecting the health of the nation is very paramount to us. We also need manufactures to understand that the right things must be done at all times, they should also avoid cutting corners because it endangers the health of the public.”

Our mission- Mendie

Senior Intervention Manager GEMS4, Mr. Micah Mendie, told Niger Delta Voice, “We want to use this platform to encourage made in Nigeria products as well as give them a space and voice in the global market.    It is an opportunity to prove that our products can compete perfectly anywhere in the world, most of the people you see here just need a little push and that is what we represent.”