UNILAG CPE dept marks 50 years, laments neglect

• 3,722 students in 50 years

Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering (CPE) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), yesterday, called for urgent attention as it rolled out a plan to mark its 50 years of existence.

It said the department needs attention in the area of infrastructure, which he described as currently very poor. It also complained of low number of staff, lack of modern equipment, low pay, japa syndrome, among others.

The department revealed that challenges of poor funding and neglect had negatively affected it in no small measure. Acting Head of the department, Faith Babalola, said the relocation of staff members (Japa syndrome) without replacement has posed a great threat to the proper running of the department.

She noted that some aging equipment in the laboratories had not been replaced.

According to her, 10 lecturers relocated without replacement in the last 15 years and no new staff member has been brought in to replace retired lecturers.

She said that in the last 50 years, the school produced graduates with 2,169 Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemical Engineering; 574 Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Petroleum and Gas Engineering; 66 Postgraduate diplomas (PGD) in Chemical Engineering; 242 Master of Professional Engineering (MPE) in Chemical Engineering; 633 Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Chemical Engineering and 38 Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs) in Chemical Engineering.

Babalola said: “We are calling on the government to devote adequate funding to education, to revisit and uphold the autonomy of universities so they can attract the best hands and run seamlessly with minimal or no encumbrances from without.

“I also call on our alumni community, who cannot quantify the benefits they have reaped from this professional and academic “cradle” where they were nurtured, to rise to her aid with a sustained commitment to an endowment with annual contribution so that other Nigerian youths can benefit from their gesture.