VC of FUW, Okogbaa urges govt to establish more varsities

Vice Chancellor, Federal University Wukari, Professor Geoffrey Okogbaa, has called on the Federal Government to create more universities in the country to cater for the growing population of admission seekers.

Okogbaa who gave this charge while playing host to a coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of Joint Action Coalition of Civil Society Groups, said the creation of additional public universities by the past administration, remains a noble gesture to both parents and students and has in a long way helped to reduce the psychological trauma, rejection and destruction of dreams being faced by many helpless Nigerians in the past.

One thing you cannot take away from the Goodluck Jonathan administration is the fact that he gave education priority attention. The universities he established in all six geopolitical zones have gone a long way to reduce the psychological trauma, rejection and destruction of dreams being faced by many helpless Nigerians in the past, he stated.

He stressed that no number of universities is too much for the country’s ever growing population, and therefore implored the government to provide adequate funding for the existing ones, while also creating more as according to him, “this would place Nigeria at par with other countries of the world in terms of qualitative and quantitative education.”

Also in his address, leader of the delegation, Comrade Isaac Ikpa, said they had decided to bestow on Okogbaa the award of “Man of the Year 2015,” due to his sterling performance at the institution since assuming office.

He further added that the award was not just a commendation, but aimed at spurring others to emulate the strides of the university administrator.

Ikpa said the drive with which the vice chancellor has implored to rapidly build infrastructure, ensure accreditation of courses, recruit qualified academic and non-academic staff, useful utilisation of available resources from government and other interventions to mention but a few caught, the attention of the civil society groups to thoroughly investigate and confer on him the award.

Okogbaa while receiving the award, said whatever he was doing as a public servant was to give service to the people, “particularly the students who are our first employer, and not for recognition or awards.”

He, therefore, enjoined the delegation to impress it on both the government and individuals to continue in pursuit of useful ventures that would help to enlarge access to education, as it is the only key to unplug the vast potentials of the average Nigerian child.