Despite the impressive achievements of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) in academics, human capital development, infrastructure, community service, and administration, the university continues to face a number of significant challenges.
During a press briefing on the university’s upcoming 12th convocation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, expressed concern over several issues.
He stated, “We are still confronted with inadequate physical facilities, poor funding, and the non-release of government take-off grants. Additionally, there is a high demand for amenities and public utilities, especially electricity and water, as well as issues related to bad roads. We also experience frequent disruptions in our academic calendar due to national industrial actions and student agitations.”
According to the Vice Chancellor, “Nigerian Federal universities are yet to recover from the AD 2022 eight months’ long industrial action by staff unions. Even though the Federal Government has tried to address the issue of withheld salaries, there are still the issues of despondency and lukewarmness in the attitude of staff following the salary injury associated with that experience”.
Inspite of these problems he said, “We have continued to make remarkable headway in various key areas in spite of the intriguing situation. For instance, we are succeeding in making MOUAU an entrepreneurial University in line with our dream of ensuring that it attains a level of enterprise that would enhance its resources.
“It is my pleasure to reemphasise that MOUAU has cumulatively made giant strides in academics, human capital development, infrastructure, community service and administration in the last three decades. The University is making steady progress in the academic arena. Our graduates are part of the manpower that have been contributing immensely towards the socio-economic and political development of the nation, Nigeria and the world at large.
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“In line with the vision of our founding fathers, many of our products have become established farmers, employers of labour and major contributors towards ensuring food security in Nigeria. On the other hand, many of our staff have carried out cutting edge researches, won national and international grants, price awards for community service and obtained fellowships from institutions, professional associations and organisation”.
“All our Colleges are also thriving. In the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), we are increasing the University’s bandwidth and almost achieving full coverage by the end of the year. At present, we have relationships with more than sixty-two universities across the world”.
Answering questions on delisting of course, the VC said the exercise by the federal government is frequent, stating that the federal government is having a rethink, adding that the university has added new courses, including engineering, geology and business school.
He further disclosed that awarding 1st class in the university is on merit, not being liberalized, clarifying also that the school did not increase its school fees, but necessary charges that kept changing, citing intra-city/campus cabs, stating, “we have not added anything”.
He further explained that cultism have reduced in the school, stating also that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, under his administration lifted the university from “Yellow”, stating, “we are happy with TETFund” and advised its students to avail themselves of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, NELFund to help fund their education with ease.
According to him, the school will be graduating a total 5208 graduates including 163 first class, 1710 2nd Class Upper Division, and 2114 2nd Class Lower, among others.
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