RE: Aceprd Herbal Tea Senate Circular

PRESS STATEMENT

The attentaion of Management of the University of Jos has been drawn to reports circulating in the public domain especially on the social media claiming the University has approved the COVID-19 Herbal Tea produced by the African Centre for Excellence in Phytomedicine (ACEPRD) for public consumption.

Most of these reports have been citing an Internal Memorandum issued by the Secretariat of Senate after the Senate meeting of 13th January, 2021 as basis for this assumption.

Management considered the issues generated by the various media reports and noted as follows:

1. The Internal memorandum from the Secretariat of the University Senate was for internal use. It was addressed to the University community for its information as one of the giant strides of the University in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. An online news report published by the online news outlet, Cable News, was identified as one example of the attempts made in some quarters to bring the University’s name to disrepute as a result of a purely internal matter. However, even from that publication, it was obvious that the African Centre of Excellence in Phytomedicine (ACEPRD) did not say that it had endorsed the tea for use by the general public. The interviewee was merely quoted as saying the necessary steps were being taken to validate the research before formal approval by the concerned authorities. The headline of the story was obviously misleading going by the content of the main body of the report.

In light of the foregoing, Management found it regrettable that an honest attempt to encourage the work of Researchers in the University among fellow colleagues has been so taken out of context and in many instances, derided. Nevertheless, ACEPRD’s work to secure formal authorization for public distribution of its Herbal Tea will continue.

However, without prejudice to the unshaken confidence the University Administration has in the ability of the ACEPRD Researchers to deliver on their mandate, Management has directed the Centre to stop any further engagement with any non-authorized persons with regards to the Herbal Tea. This is pending the formal approval by the concerned authorities for its use by the general public.

Management again strongly reminds all University staff of the need to always abide by the University regulations with regards to communicating information to the general public. It should be noted that the necessary sanctions would be applied to any violators.

Finally, Management observed from the various online commentaries on the Herbal Tea that many Staff spoke in defense of the University’s image and integrity. This is highly commendable and other staff are advised to emulate such posture as we all have a stake in protecting and upholding the cherished name of our University. 

Signed:

Chief Monday M. Danjem

Registrar

21/1/21