Junior University Professional Administrators in the Nigerian Universities- both public and Private, have been tasked to adopt new job strategies to enhance their roles as University Administrators in the new normal, especially in summounting the potential challenges and maximizing the envisaged Prospects.
The call to the tasks in the new normal was made during the 4-day training workshop of the Junior University Professional Administrators organized by ANUPA which was held at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria, Abuja from 27th-30th April, 2022.
The workshop which was virally transmitted via online platform by CEOAFRICA enjoys the global attention of many. The training workshop was officially opened by the President of ANUPA, Dr Victor Mkuma Bem, who expressed his gratitude to God for the commencement of the 4-Day Junior Administrators training programme aimed at improving the performance of Professional Administrators in Nigerian Universities.
Welcoming the August gathering the President said "It gives me great joy to welcome you all to this workshop. I am most grateful to God that against all odds, He has granted us favour to successfully host this Junior Administrative training programme."
Dr Victor Bem noted that the training is the first since the present National Executive Committee (NEC) of ANUPA under his leadership assumed office. He in no small term appreciated the resource persons -- Dr Sallah Aboki Bambur, Registrar of Federal University of Wukari Abdullahi Babangida, Deputy Registrar, University of Jos, Mr. O. E Akindele Registrar Redeemers university Ede, Mr Ambrose Odiase Ag Registrar Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma and Dr. Jibrin former Registrar fed university lafia for accepting to impart knowledge. He also thanked and congratulated the participants for availing themselves for the workshop to be trained.
According to him, "It suffices to state that we can only achieve world class administrative practices in Nigerian Universities, if we have capacity to train our University administrators; if they are trainable and available.
"This explains our careful selection of the Resource Persons to update the skills, knowledge and general proficiencies of the target participants-junior university professional administrators.
"The training theme; Repositioning the University Registry in the New Normal-Challenges and Prospects" is therefore very apt as it will be reinforced with the use of power point," he reiterated.
National President of ANUPA Dr. Victor Mkuma Bem
The National President of ANUPA Dr. Victor Bem, emphasized that the sub themes in summary are not just very topical, but also have the capacity for moulding and repositioning the participants, to efficiently deliver and improve the quality of university administration in the present administrative environment.
"I therefore urge the participants to optimally utilize the opportunity by intensively discussing and seeking answers/solutions to pertinent administrative issues, hitherto confronting them in their various schedules, in order to return back to work better than they were before," he submitted.
In his lecture the 1st Speaker, Dr. Aboki Sallah, alluded to the fact that Administrators are the live wire of the University system, hence the need to be equipped with administrative skills to be able to surmount the various challenges of the new normal.
He highlighted various challenges which may cut across critical areas of record keeping, writing briefs, memos, minutes writing, managing committees,. Etc
Dr. Sallah emphasized the qualitiesof being honest and principled in carrying out responsibility as administrators. He reiterated that University administrators must be astute, transparent, and equitable. He told the participants that they may become successful administrators only if they committed and ready to adopt to administrative environmental changes
He challenged them to settle down and really know their job as that is a pivot fulcrum on which their future success lies.
The second speaker at the workshop, Abdullahi Babangida Abdullahi, Deputy Registrar, information, communication, publications and protocols division in the office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Jos; spoke extensively on ICT usage in the new normal; reiterating that Information dissemination through report writing, minutes writing etc requires having the right mindset, skill-set and tech-set.
Thus, an administrator must have the right orientation and mindset.
According to him an administrator must also possess relevant skills as well as the ability to tap into all the latest technology available in order to disseminate Information.
He confirmed that there are so many technological tools available the world over today which makes communication easier; the administrators he noted need to leverage on them.
He asserted that the basic resource of the University system is encoded in information and administrators are the custodian of such; they communicate through the memoranda, circulars and similar other avenues available in the University system.
There further confirmed that there are so many applications tools e.g the android, IOS, etc that are very useful technological tools, if we know their usage. With the proper usage of these tools, a lot can be achieved in terms of information dissemination in the University system.
The next speaker, Mr. Olukayode Emmanuel Akindele; the Registrar of the Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State disclosed to the participants that they need to understand that they are the immediate assistants to the Registrar of the University as oxygen is to all of us.
Writing of minutes, preparation of reports, memoranda is the mainstream work they do as administrator. If you don’t do well with this, he said, nobody will ever think of promoting or recognizing you. In order to be very successful on this, he charges them that they must be a master of words and language.
He also highlighted the importance of minutes which begins with developing an agenda in collaboration with the Chairman for meetings.
He emphasized the use of tools such as zoom, Google etc. and showed participants the patterns for writing minutes and how to produce the meeting immediately the meeting is over by the use of existing templates.
He concluded his presentation with the need for administrators to keep acquiring/learning more digital skills or else will not be needed. He confirmed that the present generation of administrators are more fortunate in the new normal than those that were there before.
Mr Odiase Ambrose, Registrar, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma dwelt on the issue of Workplace Deviance Behavior. He highlighted behaviors that should not be seen with administrators such as gossip, harassment of students, delaying of files, maltreatment of co workers, leakages of confidential information, not treating of mails on time, nepotism, religious bigotry etc.
Issues of Job stress management as administrators was also discussed, during the session handled by Dr. Idris Othman Jibrin, a Senior Deputy Registrar in University of Abuja. He asserted throughout the presentation that when things are properly done in the right ways as laid down, there will be no stress but when things are not done in the right ways, meeting deadlines under pressure engender stress, therefore administrators should do things right as laid down by the system.
All participants, administrators of junior cadre such as Adnin Assistants/Admin officers 11/ executive cadre, Admin officers 1 and Asst Registrars from different Universities in Nigeriaat the training workshop accepted the fact that the training gave them very much insight into their jobs as administrators such that they are now more confident, informed and prepared for the task ahead and hope to implement the training content in their various Universities.
All participant who are administrators of junior cadre such as AO. AAO, AI, etc from different University, both private and Public at the training workshop alluded to the fact that the training workshop gave them very much insight into their jobs as administrators such that they are now more confident, informed and prepared for the task ahead and hope to implement the training content in their various Universities.
