Kalu donates convocation arena to Calabar varsity

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has donated a convocation arena to the University of Calabar to mark its 50th anniversary.

Performing the groundbreaking ceremony for the project on the university campus, Kalu, an ex-student of the institution said the project was his contribution to his Alma mater to provide a conducive atmosphere for convocation and matriculation ceremonies among others.

He said at 50, the university was matured as one of the best citadel of learning in the country and deserves a befitting arena to crown students who have gone through the four walls of the institution.

“It is not right that we do our convocation under canopies, it is not good for our image and dignity, something needed to be done, so when the university presented this before me, I said yes, and I decided to partner with the institution to fix this convocation arena,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker, who said he has already taken steps for his office to allocate some funds for the project, assured that as soon as funding of the budget starts, work will commence on the project.

He urged the Vice Chancellor to ensure that the job is awarded to the best contractor who will do a quality job according to specifications and deliver it on schedule.

“We will be monitoring this job from my office to ensure quality because any mistake the contractor should be ready to answer to us,” Kalu said.

The lawmaker used the opportunity to encourage ex-students of universities in the country and Africa not to take their certificates and disappear but endeavor to come back and do something to add value to the school that formed their character and show them the way.

He commended the Vice Chancellor and other principal officers of the university for their hard work which has brought enormous development to the university

“You are one of the good examples of women in power who have managed it well, You are one example who men look at and are not threatened because you are carrying everybody along,

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Florence Obi, on behalf of the university Governing Council thanked the Deputy Speaker for the befitting project, a two-floor building with a 6000 sitting capacity, and a state of the arts theatre for command performance.

She also thanked the Deputy Speaker for making a provision of N800 million in the school’s budget for the take-off of the project and an additional N800 million for its completion.