The National Universities Commission (NUC), Thursday in Abuja, issued a “Letter of Official Recognition” to the Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for the newly established Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Oferekpe, Agbaja, Izzi Local Government Area.
The university is the first of its kind in the entire federation boasting of over 270 universities.
Speaking at the event, Nwifuru said the reason for the establishment of the university is to ramp up access to quality and affordable tertiary education, particularly for the state indigenes and grant everyone the opportunity to tertiary education; in order to address the needed technological manpower requirements of the State in particular, and the nation in general.
He said Ebonyi State, under his leadership, will ensure that adequate budgetary provisions, in both capital and recurrent expenditures, are made available on sustainable basis, in order to guarantee the academic growth, relevance and quality assurance of the nascent institution.
He said: “The Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Oferekpe, was proclaimed into existence by the previous administration in Ebonyi State through the instrumentalities of the State Edict of 2021, as duly enacted by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, under my leadership as the then Speaker.
“The reason for the establishment of this university is to ramp up the access to quality and affordable tertiary education particularly for the state indigenes and grant everyone the opportunity to tertiary education in order to address the needed technological manpower requirements of the state in particular, and the nation in general, especially now that the World is fast-changing because of the tech-driven phenomenon.
“The need for adequate funding for sustainability of institution of this magnitude is never lost on us as a government. I want to assure you that Ebonyi State, under my leadership will ensure that adequate budgetary provisions, in both capital and recurrent expenditures, are made available on sustainable basis, in order to guarantee the academic growth, relevance and quality assurance of this nascent institution.
“On the gradual take-off of this university, the State Government has already injected critical mass of funds towards the construction of some strategic buildings on the university campus at Oferekpe, Agbaja, Izzi LGA. As at today, the following structures like the Senate Building, the Staff Quarters, the Students’ Hostels, the Faculty Buildings, the University Library, etc are at various stages of completion. I will like to use this opportunity to extend an invitation in advance to the Executive Secretary, to come and commission our administrative block (Senate Building) when it is finally completed and equipped.
“On the critical manpower needed to drive the developmental strides of this university, the principal officers have since been appointed by my government. Just last Saturday, I had the honour and privilege to flag off the Ebonyi State scholarship program, whereby about 1,000 students are already being trained for Masters and Doctorate degrees, in both local and foreign universities.
“It is intended that on graduation, these trained officers shall be injected into the various tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State in order to contribute in building the needed human capital development in the State. I therefore, want to use this medium to invite the National Universities Commission to partner with the Ebonyi State government in developing a university of global reckoning.
“In total fulfilment and compliance to NUC requirements on the establishment of new university, it is my honour and privilege to formally submit to the Executive Secretary, the strategic documents, comprising the University Master Plan, the Academic Brief and the University Enabling Law for your information and further actions.”
In his response, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, clarified that the issuance of the Letter of Official Recognition to the governor does not mean the institution will start academic programmes immediately, saying the commission will visit the institution to ascertain if facilities are in place for a smooth take off.
He said the commission will write to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to include the institution in subsequent exams after assessment of the institution, adding that the state government should also move for the inclusion of students of the institution in the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in the future.
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