PAAU’s Department of Geology Receives Full Accreditation from COMEG
…. Becoming the only Tertiary Institution in Kogi State and one among 7 others in North-Central Nigeria with full Accreditation from COMEG in 2023.
The Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) has announced the full accreditation status of Prince Abubakar Audu University’s Department of Geology following the 2023 professional accreditation exercise of the Geology programme by the Council.
The announcement was made at the 13th Induction Ceremony and Certificate Presentation to Qualified Mining Engineers, Geoscientists, and tertiary institutions by the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) where four (4) staff members of the Geology Department were inducted as members of COMEG.
Based on the announcement by COMEG, Prince Abubakar Audu University is the only Tertiary Institution in Kogi State and one out of 7 Tertiary Institutions to get full accreditation of the programme in the North-Central Zone of Nigeria.
The other institutions include; Federal University Lafia, University of Ilorin, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University Lapai, Nassarawa State University, Kwara State University, and Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.
While announcing a list of many tertiary institutions that failed to get COMEG’s accreditation of their Geology programmes, COMEG admonished the public only to enrol to study the programme at the accredited institutions, noting that only graduates from accredited institutions can practice in the Nigerian extractive industry.
The accreditation team from COMEG visited Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, from the 6th to the 8th of December 2023 on accreditation and in their exit briefing remarked that PAAU’s Geology programme has a well-developed curriculum and satisfactory course content, an efficient grading and project supervision system, and adequate physical facilitates.
While commending PAAU on staff mix and staff-student ratio, the COMEG accreditation team further observed that an efficient external examination system exists and qualified assessors are engaged.
Among other remarks, the accreditation team noted that more than 70% of the department’s academic staff members are visible online and that their numerous publications show their immense contribution to the development of Geosciences.
Responding to the comments, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Marietu Ohunene Tenuche, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Professor O.J Saliu acknowledged that the insistence of the University Management for staff members to publish in reputable indexed journals is paying off as the recognition by the COMEG accreditation team is one of many testaments.
Professor Saliu mentioned that such online presence will continue to grow from strength to strength following the University Management’s achievement in the area of ensuring free internet connectivity on campus. He recounted the University Management’s investment in staff training and development and noted that when COMEG visits for the next round of accreditation as due, PAAU will be met on a more excellent level than it was met in this round of accreditation.
COMEG is the regulatory body for Geosciences, Mining Engineering, and Metallurgy in Nigeria.