One of Nigeria’s foremost learning institutions, University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, has banned the act of hugging between lecturers and female students in the university. Hence forth, those found guilty will be punished severely.
The new policy was put in place to fight against sexual harassment. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ndowa E. S. Lale at the launch of the policy ceremony, which held at Ebitime Banigo hall said they took the decision to raise the bar on sexual harassment to ensure that the young men and women put in the charge of lecturers are protected, especially from antics of sexual predators who use their privileged positions to blackmail or railroad their unwilling students or subordinate staff into granting them sexual favours.
According to the VC, the management of the University in the policy document defined the rules of engagement in terms of the acceptable of engagement between lecturers, administrators and students, including visitors to the university. Prof Ndowa vowed that sanctions would be meted to earring members of staff but added that there was a robust in built checks and balances to protect those who are innocently accused.
Any person so accused would be presumed guilty until he or she could prove otherwise under the established rules of fair hearing.
Lecturers and students were admonished to control their sexual appetites and stop the illegal harassment for grades or be ready to bear the consequences of their amorous liaison .