The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Prof. Francisca Bassey, has called for urgent intervention by the Cross River State Government and other relevant authorities to protect the institution’s remaining land and provide room for future expansion.

Bassey made the appeal when she received survey documents detailing the boundaries and land position of the university from the Surveyor-General of Cross River State, Surv. Patrick Edet Bassey, during a meeting at his office. She was accompanied by members of the university’s management team.

The engagement provided clarification on the university’s land position, particularly around its Calabar and Ogoja campuses. The Surveyor-General confirmed that the Ogoja Campus land had been properly delineated and mapped, with a new survey plan prepared and presented to the university. He also relied on historical records, survey information and an orthophoto to clarify the extent of the university’s original landholding around the Calabar Campus.

The survey findings indicated that a substantial portion of the university’s original landholding had been encroached upon over the years. According to Bassey, about 80 per cent of the land in the affected area had been taken over, while historical records showed that the university’s original land extended considerably beyond the area currently occupied by the Calabar South Secretariat.

The Vice Chancellor expressed appreciation to the Surveyor-General and his technical team for the exercise, describing the survey documents as an important basis for effective land administration, physical planning and future infrastructural development.

She said the extensive encroachment had constrained the university’s ability to provide infrastructure for its growing student population, workforce and academic programmes. According to her, the limited land available has made vertical development, including high-rise academic, administrative and residential facilities, increasingly necessary.

Bassey, however, noted that inflation had significantly increased the cost of high-rise construction, while interventions from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) were subject to funding limits that might not be sufficient for major projects of such magnitude.

She therefore appealed to the state government and other relevant authorities to support UNICROSS in maximising its remaining land through strategic infrastructure development and, where necessary, provide additional land within the Calabar metropolis.

The Vice Chancellor stressed that the issue was not only about securing land but ensuring that the university has sufficient space to accommodate future growth. She said additional land would be needed as the institution expands its academic programmes, student population, staff strength and infrastructure, adding that flooding affecting some existing staff quarters had further increased the need for expansion.

Bassey urged those occupying portions of the university’s property to desist from further encroachment, warning that continued loss of institutional land could undermine the university’s ability to plan and develop effectively. She also called on relevant authorities to protect the remaining university land and explore appropriate measures to resolve the encroachment.

The Vice Chancellor acknowledged the interest of the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, in the development and repositioning of UNICROSS, saying the government’s intervention and the prompt response of the Surveyor-General demonstrated commitment to addressing challenges affecting the institution.

She reaffirmed the commitment of the university management to safeguarding its land assets and working with the state government and other stakeholders to secure the land and infrastructure required to meet UNICROSS’ long-term academic, administrative and residential needs.1 reply