Students of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Calabar, on Thursday accused the institution’s management of frustrating the accreditation of their programme by the National Universities Commission and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria.

The students, who staged a peaceful protest on campus, alleged that years of neglect, underfunding, and poor infrastructure had placed their academic future at risk.

Speaking with journalists during the march, a student, Ndifreke Okowo, said the pharmacy programme, which began in 2016 under former the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Zana Akpagu, had suffered setbacks because the university failed to secure proper resource verification from the NUC before admitting students.

“We got to 400 Level when we were suddenly told that we had been running an illegal programme,” Okowo said. “We were asked to go back to 200 Level, and though the university invited NUC for verification, it failed to meet the requirements.”

He explained that the institution later re-applied under the new Doctor of Pharmacy framework, but the programme remains unaccredited due to inadequate staffing, poor facilities, and unequipped laboratories.

“Our labs are empty. We don’t even have classrooms to sit in. We are in 600 Level, but there are no seats or functional laboratories. The PCN has not been invited for accreditation, and without that, we can’t graduate as licensed pharmacists,” he added.

Okowo further alleged that funds meant for the construction and furnishing of the faculty building were mismanaged by the previous administration.

While he acknowledged that the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, had completed the structure, he said it lacked furniture and laboratory equipment.

“The University of Calabar is playing with the future of Nigerian youths. They have done it to Dentistry, Medicine, and Nursing, now it’s Pharmacy,” he said.

Another student, Iris Johnson, described the situation as “disheartening,” adding that repeated assurances from the university leadership had not yielded results.

“We were told the PCN would come between October and November, but that has not happened. The Vice Chancellor is leaving office soon, and we fear what happened to Dentistry may repeat itself,” she said.

The protesters, numbering over a thousand from various levels, called on the federal and state governments, as well as the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, to intervene urgently to prevent the collapse of the programme and safeguard their academic future.

When contacted, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Effiong Eyo, said he was not aware of the situation.

“I am not aware of this for now. When I get to the school, I will find out and get back to you,” he told our correspondent.

Calls to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, were not answered as of press time.