UNIABUJA VC begs FG for more funding

THE Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, has lamented that inadequate fund has hampered completion of some physical development projects at the institution.

According to him, some of these uncompleted projects he inherited from the last administration of Professor James Adelabu now dot the landscape of the main campus of the university.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to intervene by providing the university with special allocation for the completion of the projects.

Adikwu told Tribune Education in Abuja that a lot of progress had been made since he came on board as the vice chancellor of the university, especially with the accreditation of some new programmes.

He said: “We have recorded some positives in the conduct of affairs of the university, but we are haunted by the spectre of inadequate funds to complete some major physical development projects, which now dot the main campus landscape.

“We appeal to the government to lend a helping hand towards the completion of the projects, which are crucial to our capacity to expand our services and contribute our quota to the immediate community and the nation at large.”

Adikwu, however, said there have been marked improvements in other aspects of the activities of the university, such as staff training and welfare, establishment of linkages and partnerships with other institutions.

He said the university under his watch had made tremendous progress in development of infrastructure and strengthening of the regular and distance learning capabilities in line with the dual mandate of the university, which was to provide outlets for those who might have missed out on the opportunity to avail themselves of formal education.

The vice chancellor further disclosed that rehabilitation works on some existing classrooms and office facilities had now been completed.

He said it was unfortunate that UNIABUJA had suffered reverses as a result of the crises that engulfed it a few years back because of some unaccredited programmes, noting that the university is just picking up from the challenges.