Foster synergy for sustainable development, UNN VC urges SEDC

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof Oguejiofo Ujam, has urged the Governing Board of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to leverage the resources and opportunities available in tertiary institutions to drive impactful and sustainable development in the region.

Addressing the board, led by Dr Emeka Wogu, he highlighted the numerous challenges facing the South-East, including approximately 2,500 active erosion sites and an unemployment and underemployment rate of 28%, which exceeds the national average.

Speaking over the weekend at a special reception hosted by the Chairman of Oranto Petroleum Ltd, Prince Arthur Eze, at the Oranto International Airport Hotel in Enugu, Prof. Ujam emphasised the need for strategic collaborations to enable the commission to fulfill its broad mandate effectively.

Ujam commended President Bola Tinubu for endorsing the creation of the crucial Commission, remarking that “by quickly signing into law the Act establishing the SEDC and constituting the Governing Board, President Tinubu could be said to have done what Napoleon Bonaparte could not do.

“The promise of reconstruction, which was a critical segment of the three ‘Rs’-Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Reconstruction- had remained unfulfilled by successive Nigerian leaders until Asiwaju Tinubu came to power.

“The SEDC stands out as a huge testimony of President Tinubu’s interest, care, affection and understanding of the plights of the Southeastern Nigerians.

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“Therefore, as I commend the President for this noble gesture, I wish to implore the members of the Governing Board to see how best they can align the SEDC’s developmental programmes with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Emphasising the willingness of UNN and other tertiary institutions in the Southeast to collaborate with the South East Development Commission (SEDC), the Acting Vice Chancellor assured the board that universities stand ready to support their mission. “As members of the ivory tower, our doors are open to innovative ideas and collaborative initiatives that will help advance the commission’s ambitious mandate of driving rapid development in the Southeast,” he stated.

Addressing a distinguished audience that included the Governor of Enugu State, members of the National and State Assemblies, as well as traditional and religious leaders, Prof. Ujam highlighted the region’s enduring challenges. He noted that beyond the destruction of critical infrastructure during the civil war, the Southeast has continued to suffer from political discord, social instability, ecological degradation, and widespread economic hardship.

He reiterated that fostering partnerships between universities and the SEDC presents a valuable opportunity for mutual benefit, offering a practical and effective approach to redefining development in the region.

He stated: “The mileage to be covered in the area of experiential learning can only be imagined if this collaboration succeeds in delivering on improved classrooms, libraries, laboratories, transportation systems, sustainable independent energy sources, student hostels and staff housing.

“Importantly, the University of Nigeria Nsukka, like other South East tertiary institutions, must modernize and enlarge its physical facilities, including classrooms, labs, libraries, staff housing, and student hostels.

“Staff members must be exposed to modern training and retraining on teaching and research in order to improve their capacity. The university library needs to be updated with contemporary resources and amenities, such as digital databases, online journals, and e-book subscriptions.

“In order to facilitate e-learning, research, and administration, the institutions must upgrade their ICT infrastructure, especially in the light of the disruptive knowledge economy of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

Ujam regretted the increased insecurity brought about partly by separatist agitations in the region, recalling that “given the magnitude of the region’s development issues, the World Bank calculated that Nigeria would need to spend $10billion a year for the next 30 years in order to address the infrastructure gap in South East.”

He tasked the board to align their programmes with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, adding that their “success story would end up as a befitting appreciation to President Tinubu for establishing SEDC.”

Part of his address read: “Let me start by saying that I am very much elated to join the hardworking governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, and Ozoigbondu, Prince Arthur Eze, to welcome us all to this unique reception.

“The beauty of this gathering is that it marks a new beginning for collective reasoning in the bid to envision a common pathway for sustainable development in the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, which forms about 73 per cent of the old Eastern Region.

“I must commend the Chief Executive Officer of Oranto Petroleum for his foresight in organizing this reception. This is how it ought to be. For the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to achieve its lofty purpose, it is essential that stakeholders in Southeastern Nigeria have the platform and opportunity to actively engage, contribute, and support the Commission in shaping its policies and initiatives.

“The various perspectives expressed by way of remarks from Southeast leaders, will definitely end up as quiet reminders to the board and management of SEDC of the monumental and historic nature of their assignment. Expectations are very high that this pioneer board will help address the vacuum of development created by the devastations of the civil war.