Treasurer
Michael Sarima Miriam
Biography
I am Michael Sarima Miriam, an indigene of Rumuola in Obio akpor local government area River state, The first daughter of my family , I am content creator also so passionate about leadership, personal growth, and helping students discover opportunities online, I'm also committed to building a meaningful impact both on campus and beyond.
Manifesto
STUDENT UNION GOVERNMENT (SUG) UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT MANIFESTO For the Office of Treasurer "THE BANK IN SAFE HANDS" Presented by: Michael Sarima Miriam Faculty: Faculty of Science Department: Biology and Biotechnology Level: 200 Level Office Being Sought: Treasurer, Student Union Government (SUG), University of Port Harcourt PREAMBLE Fellow students of the University of Port Harcourt, I write and speak to you not merely as an aspirant seeking a position, but as a concerned stakeholder in the collective welfare of our great institution. Money entrusted to leadership is a sacred responsibility. Every kobo that passes through the Student Union Government treasury represents sweat, sacrifice, and hope — the hard-earned contributions of parents, guardians, and students who believe that their union dues will be used to better their lot on campus. It is with this understanding, and a deep sense of duty, that I, Michael Sarima Miriam, offer myself for service as Treasurer of the Student Union Government, University of Port Harcourt. My candidature is anchored on one simple but powerful promise: that under my watch, THE BANK WILL BE IN SAFE HANDS. This is not a mere slogan; it is a covenant between me and every student of this institution — a covenant of transparency, prudence, accountability, and results. WHO I AM I am Michael Sarima Miriam, a 200 Level student of Biology and Biotechnology, a department known for discipline, precision, and evidence-based reasoning — values I intend to bring fully into the management of our union's finances. Leadership is not new to me. I have served as the pioneer Departmental Director of Information for Biology and Biotechnology, a role that demanded accuracy, timeliness, and honesty in the dissemination of information to my colleagues. I currently serve as Secretary of a registered student organization, a position that has sharpened my skills in record-keeping, minute-taking, documentation, reporting, and the day-to-day discipline required to manage resources meant for collective use. These experiences have taught me that trust is built in the small, consistent things: showing up, keeping accurate records, and telling the truth even when it is uncomfortable. "A treasurer's greatest asset is not the size of the account he controls, but the size of the trust placed in him." — Campaign Watchword THE PROBLEM: WHY THIS MANIFESTO MATTERS For too long, the financial history of student unions across our nation's campuses — and, if we are honest, at points in our own union's history — has been clouded by one recurring complaint: the non-utilization of funds for the direct benefit of students. Dues are collected diligently at the point of registration, yet many students graduate from this institution without ever seeing, feeling, or benefiting from what those funds were meant to achieve. This is the crisis of confidence that this manifesto is written to confront. Specifically, I identify the following as the core problems facing SUG finance management: - Lack of Transparency: Students are often kept in the dark about how much is collected, where it is kept, and how it is spent, leading to suspicion and disengagement from union activities. - Idle and Underutilized Funds: Money sits in union accounts without being channeled into projects, welfare packages, or emergencies that directly touch the lives of students. - Weak Documentation: Poor record-keeping makes it difficult to trace expenditure, reconcile accounts, or hand over clean records from one administration to another. - Disconnection Between Spending and Student Needs: Funds are sometimes spent on priorities that do not reflect the everyday struggles of the average student — transportation, health, academic materials, and emergencies. - Absence of Regular Financial Reporting: Students rarely receive periodic statements or breakdowns of union income and expenditure, making accountability nearly impossible to enforce. These are not abstract complaints. They are the everyday realities that breed apathy, mistrust, and disunity among students. A union whose members do not trust its treasury is a union weakened at its core. This manifesto exists to correct that trajectory. MY VISION AS TREASURER My vision is simple and student-centered: to ensure that every student massively and visibly benefits from every fund that enters the Union Bank account. Under my administration, the treasury will not be a silent vault; it will be a working, transparent, and accountable engine that powers the welfare, development, and dignity of every student of the University of Port Harcourt, regardless of faculty, level, religion, or background. GUIDING PRINCIPLES Integrity I will not convert union funds to personal use under any guise or pressure. Transparency Every student has a right to know how their money is managed. Accountability I will be answerable to the student body at all times, not just at election season. Prudence Spending will be need-based, planned, and value-driven — not wasteful or arbitrary. Service The treasury exists to serve students, not to serve the convenience of a few officers. MY PLAN OF ACTION: THE BANK IN SAFE HANDS AGENDA If elected Treasurer of the Student Union Government, University of Port Harcourt, I will implement the following concrete, achievable, and student-focused measures: Full Financial Transparency I will ensure the publication of union income and expenditure records every semester, accessible to all students through official SUG channels and departmental representatives. Digital Record-Keeping I will move the treasury away from manual, easily manipulated records to a proper digital ledger system, reducing errors, loss of documents, and financial malpractice. Zero Tolerance for Fund Diversion I will strictly adhere to budget lines approved by the SUG legislative arm; no fund will be spent outside its approved purpose without proper student representative approval. Termly/Semester Financial Reports I will present a simplified, easy-to-understand financial statement to the Students' Representative Council and make it available to the general student body, showing exactly what came in and what went out. Student Welfare-First Budgeting I will prioritize funds for things that directly touch students: emergency welfare support, examination period assistance, sports, academic competitions, and departmental support. Open-Door Policy on Finance Enquiries Any student or accredited student body will be free to formally enquire about union spending without hostility or unnecessary bureaucracy. Partnership With Auditors/Financial Advisers Where necessary, I will work with knowledgeable students or professionals to ensure our books are properly kept and reconciled, protecting the union from avoidable errors. Proper Handover Documentation I will ensure that whichever administration comes after mine inherits clean, complete, and traceable financial records — breaking the cycle of financial history disappearing with each administration. ENSURING STUDENTS BENEFIT MASSIVELY FROM UNION FUNDS Beyond safeguarding what comes into the union account, I am committed to ensuring that funds are actively and visibly deployed for the benefit of students. This includes: - Supporting departmental and faculty associations with legitimate, budgeted financial assistance for academic and social programs. - Prioritizing welfare interventions during examination periods, health emergencies, and other periods of genuine student need. - Ensuring sports, cultural, and academic competitions representing the university are adequately and promptly funded, not left underfunded until the last minute. - Working with the SUG executive to explore modest, sustainable income-generating initiatives that reduce over-dependence on dues alone, while ensuring no such venture compromises transparency. - Making sure that every disbursement is preceded by proper documentation, and every documentation is available for scrutiny by appropriate student bodies. WHY YOU CAN TRUST ME WITH THE BANK Trust is not requested; it is earned through track record, character, and consistency. I ask for your trust on the following grounds: Proven Track Record As pioneer Departmental Director of Information for Biology and Biotechnology, I handled sensitive departmental information with accuracy and discretion, never once compromising the trust placed in me. Administrative Discipline As Secretary of a student organization, I have practical, hands-on experience with record-keeping, documentation, and reporting — the exact skill set the treasury office demands. Scientific Training My background in Biology and Biotechnology has instilled in me a culture of precision, evidence, verification, and objectivity — qualities I will bring into every financial decision I make as Treasurer. Accessibility I will remain reachable and answerable to students throughout my tenure, not just during campaigns. Zero Political Baggage I come to this race with a clean record and a singular focus — protecting and properly utilizing your money. MY COMMITMENT TO YOU I commit, before the entire student body of the University of Port Harcourt, that if elected Treasurer of the Student Union Government: - I will not divert, misappropriate, or carelessly manage a single kobo of union funds. - I will render regular, honest, and understandable accounts of all union income and expenditure. - I will ensure that funds entering the union bank translate into real, visible benefits for students. - I will resist all undue pressure — from any quarter — to act contrary to the interest of students. - I will hand over a cleaner, stronger, and more trustworthy treasury than the one I met. Fellow students, the treasury of our union is too important to be left to chance, sentiment, or empty promises. It deserves a custodian who understands that every naira collected carries the weight of a student's struggle, a parent's sacrifice, and a union's hope for a better campus experience. I, Michael Sarima Miriam, humbly ask for your mandate to serve as your Treasurer — not to rule over the union's funds, but to responsibly guard, grow, and channel them back to you, the true owners of this union. "THE BANK IN SAFE HANDS." Vote Michael Sarima Miriam for SUG Treasurer. Michael Sarima Miriam | 200L Biology and Biotechnology | Faculty of Science | University of Port Harcourt Candidate for Treasurer, Student Union Government (SUG)