President Muhammadu Buhari has asked federal universities to be prudent in the management of funds allocated to them in view of current economic challenges.
President Buhari, who was represented by the minister of State for education, Professor Anthony Onwuka, spoke today, Saturday at the 30th Convocation of the University of Calabar.
The president said that his administration placed high premium on the funding of education as a way to improve teaching and learning, adding that in view of the present economic challenges, it is important for public universities to adopt prudent measures in spending the funds allocated to universities by the Federal Government.
“As we all know, Nigeria is facing some economic challenges presently; I wish to advise federal universities to make judicious use of the funds allocated to them from the federal government for the development of their campuses.
“The University of Calabar has fared very well in terms of infrastructural development and I must commend the university management for this,’’ he said.
The president congratulated the graduands on the award of degrees to them and asked them to be good ambassadors of the institution and Nigeria.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Zana Akpagu, said that the institution graduated a total of 13,347 students in various fields of studies at the ceremony.
Akpagu explained that 1,437 students were awarded post-graduate certificates while 11,910 got first degrees in different classes.
He said that 22 students graduated with First Class degrees, adding that the University recorded a milestone in establishing the Faculty of Engineering which never existed since its establishment in 1978.
He assured that the university would continue to leave up to its expectations in delivering quality academic services to students.
On his part, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, thanked the Federal Government for improving infrastructure in the school through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
Iwunayanwu said that the support had helped in the physical development of the university.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who was a guest at the occasion, donated the sum of N30 million as an educational support fund to the university’s Medical Centre, still under construction.
Tambuwal commended the school management for infrastructural development and urged the graduands not to depend solely on white-collar jobs “but rather, be determined to be entrepreneurs”.
Highlight of the occasion was the award of doctoral degrees “Honoris Causa” to retired Brigadier General Anthony Ukpo, Alhaji Ummarun Kwabo and Daniel Chukwudozie for their contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.
(NAN). [myad]
