FG Tasked to Adequately Fund Varsities to Meet Global Standards

The new Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Gbemiga Ibileye, has urged the federal government to improve on adequate funding If Nigerian Universities are to meet up with the global standard,

He stated there is urgent need for the federal government to review its educational fundings for overall development of the citadels of learning in the Country.

Professor Ibileye made this position known while speaking in a chat with the members of the correspondent’s chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kogi State Council who paid him a courtesy visit to his office at Felele Campus in Lokoja yesterday.

Ibileye explained that the University system in Nigeria is on a lean resource as some rely on TETFUND for some critical infrastructure projects, noting funding is very central to meet up with the international standard.

The Vice Chancellor noted that current intervention to universities are grossly inadequate and hence made it more difficult for them compete favourably with western world in the area of infrastructure, technology innovations which can transform Nigeria productive nation.

“But the intervention is not sufficient.  And, if you have a university like ours, and you are getting about N2.5 billion as the amount of intervention that comes from TETFUND, that is huge. Although, there are other interventions that you have to lobby before you get.” So, if government really wants university education to grow at the level of global direction, then we have to do more to assist the institutions.  We just returned from Cairo, Egypt, to have partnership with some institutions. Because, this is very high in my order of priority,” he posited.

He pointed out that Nigerian universities are in dire need of more serious attention, pointing out despite efforts of the TETFUND’s efforts to ameliorating economic hardship faced by the institutions of higher learning, there more emerging daunting challenges on daily basis. He highlighted some of the challenges staring the Federal University, Lokoja in the face, such as inadequate laboratories, lectures theatres, road network, transportation system as well as lack hostels accommodation for the growing population of the students.

The Vice Chancellor who assumed office few months ago, stated the management of Federal University, Lokoja is not relenting in the critical areas of intervention to ensure a conducive learning process in the ever-growing institution.

According to him, the Federal University, Lokoja currently has inadequate transportation challenges to convey the ever-growing student population to and fro.

He stressed the university has only four buses which are not enough for this enormous task because majority of the students reside outside campus.

Professor Ibileye added that accommodation is another critical area that requires urgent intervention, stressing that out 30,’000 students of the institution only 7,500 are accommodated at the available hostels in the campus.

He therefore urged the federal, the state government, spirited individuals, private developers to assist Federal University, Lokoja, to provide more hostels accommodation and help grow and render a quality learning process in a conducive environment.

Professor Ibileye reiterated the commitments of the new management to maintain academic standard of the institution, adding that the Federal University, Lokoja is currently partnering University of Cairo, one private university in Egypt, USA and others to expand academic scope in line with global practices.

He however assured the members of the correspondent chapel who paid him a courtesy call that his administration will partner with the media, noting that, “no one grows in the dark” and pointed out that was why the management established the Directorate of Strategic Communication and Corporate Documentation.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kogi State Council, Mr. Ademola Salami congratulated the new Vice Chancellor on his appointment, wishing him all best during his tenure.

He commended the Professor Ibileye for extending hands of fellowship to everyone in the university community to ensure peace and unity in the system.

Salami restated the commitments of the chapel to continue to report every activity of the federal university, noting that no matter how good an administration may be without adequate publicity and reportage of its activities to outside world will remain unknown.