NAUTH Management Prioritizes Student Welfare: Prof. Ugboaja Suspends Fee Increment

Following a brief period of unrest at the College of Nursing, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja has once again demonstrated his nature of compassionate leadership by suspending the proposed tuition fee adjustment.

The decision comes after students of the school expressed concerns regarding a new fee structure intended to facilitate the institution’s transition into a premier ND/HND monotechnic. In a swift response to the students' grievances, Prof. Ugboaja, in his characteristic nature as a listening father, directed an immediate return to the status quo, allowing students to continue payments under the old fee structure. A LEADERSHIP OF LISTENING AND EMPATHY: While the initial adjustment from ₦90,000 to ₦580,000 was designed to sustain high educational standards and upgrade infrastructure by the board and management of the school, Prof. Ugboaja acknowledged the current economic realities facing students and their families. "Our goal is to build a world-class institution, but we will never do so at the expense of our students' well-being," said Prof. Ugboaja. "As the leader of a management team that is responsive to the voices of our students, I have directed The immediate suspension of the proposed adjustment to have way for a more encompassing arrangement to include students' representatives. KEY RESOLUTIONS AND THE PATH FORWARD: To ensure a transparent and inclusive resolution, the CMD has institutionalized a collaborative approach: * Establishment of a Review Committee: A joint body comprising School Management, the Governing Board, and Student Representatives has been formed to harmonize a sustainable fee structure. * Commitment to Consultation: The CMD admitted that while the upgrade to the ND/HND program is vital, the students' concerns regarding the consultation process were valid and would be addressed moving forward. * Guaranteed Access to Education: Prof. Ugboaja has given a firm assurance that no student will be forced out of school due to financial constraints during this transition period. STUDENTS REAFFIRM CONFIDENCE IN "FATHERLY " LEADERSHIP: The atmosphere at the school has shifted from that of confrontation to appreciation as was very noticeable during interviews with the media, including Blaze FM. The students variously described the CMD as a compassionate father with listening ears and a humane leader. Student representatives noted that they were not surprised at the Ochinanwata's intervention, given his pedigree as a considerate leader and observed that his timely intervention has restored calm in the institution and bolstered their confidence in his administration. "We knew that Ochinanwata would listen. He is a very compassionate leader. His decision to halt the implementation shows he is a father who feels the pulse of the common student," one representative stated. RESTORATION OF NORMALCY: As of Wednesday, March 11th, academic activities have fully resumed. The gates are open, lectures are in progress, and the spirit of solidarity between the management and the student body has never been stronger. NAUTH remains dedicated to its mission of providing top-tier medical education and healthcare services, powered by a leadership that values dialogue. Since his assumption of the office of Prof Joseph Ugboaja as the Chief Medical Director of the institution, NAUTH has been on the upward trajectory. The institution has been greatly transformed from a small 300-bed old hospital to a brand new world-class health insutution of 2000 beds at its permanent site. Just recently, the hospital installed it's brand new 1.5T MRI machine as a part of its Radiodiagnostic project.