FUNAI VC presents 6 months’ scorecard  

 The Vice Chancellor Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, (FUNAI) Ebonyi State, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, has presented scorecard of his six months’ administration to the University community.

Addressing senior non-teaching staff and lecturers, Prof. Nwajiuba stated that since his assumption of office, his administration has achieved monumental feats in the area of infrastructure.

Highlighting some of his achievements, the VC said his administration embarked on “Landscaping of the environment, connection of the University to national power grid in other to reduce the enormous money spent on diesel, installation of transformers to step down and connect power to offices, hostels, lecture halls and laboratories.

“On-going fencing of the University community to ensure security of life and property, flag off for the construction of 2, 500 sitter auditorium and attraction of investors to partner the University on key and strategic areas like the Advanced Space Technology Application Laboratory which is to be built by the National Centre for Remote Sensing (NCRS), One kilometre of internal road to be constructed by Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi, donation of a trailer load of cement by the INEC Commissioner representing the South-East Zone, Ambassador Lawrence Nwuruku, sinking of two boreholes and provision of television sets and satellite decoder for the female hostel by the Senator representing Ebonyi Central in the National Assembly, Chief Obinna Ogba and many others”, he said.

Prof. Nwajiuba further noted that many uncompleted projects he inherited from previous administration are receiving urgent attention in other to ensure conducive environment for teaching, learning and research, adding that the relocation of Faculties of Engineering and Technology and Basic Medical Sciences from the take Off Site to the Permanent Site of the University are testaments of infrastructural renaissance under his administration.

On the academic sphere, Prof. Nwajiuba said it was imperative to create new and demerge fused faculties and departments for academic excellence and to provide more admission opportunities for the teeming youths of Nigeria, while also maintaining quality. 

For this reason, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences was carved out from Humanities and Social Sciences, while also introducing Banking and Finance as a new discipline. Two new Faculties of Agriculture and Education were also established after getting approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure the programmes meet national and international best practices.

Prof. Nwajiuba decried the dearth of academic excellence and integrity in Nigerian Universities especially on the part of academics, saying “no institution can grow above the level of her academics’’ he stressed the need for lecturers to imbibe international best practices in their intellectual works so that the University can realise its goal of graduating students that can soar like eagles in all spheres of life.

The Vice Chancellor maintained that vices such as sexual harassments, sale of marks, admission racketeering, lateness and absenteeism were unethical and must be shunned by all staff of the University, adding that culprits will definitely be punished accordingly.

He further enjoined all staff to join hands with him to make the University a Centre of Excellence and Integrity where students are groomed to meet the demands of globalized economy and pledged the commitment of the University Management to improved staff welfare.

The high point of the presentation was the naming of the main University Library after the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe and also naming of the Administrative building after the Pioneer Registrar, Mr. Gabriel O. Chukwu by the Vice Chancellor.

He stated that, “After due consultation with the University Senate and National Universities Commission and taking into cognizance of the invaluable works done by Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe and Mr. Gabriel Chukwu as pioneers Vice Chancellor and Registrar respectively, we decided to name the University Library and Administrative block after them,” he said.