Buhari confirms release of 100% capital allocation to public universities in 2021

[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday disclosed that his administration released 100 per cent capital allocation to Nigerian Public Universities in 2021.

President Buhari who stated this at the 6th Convocation ceremony of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, further disclosed that his administration had increased specific interventions to tertiary education through the provision of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and from other Support agencies.

He assured that his administration would remain committed to expanding access to quality university education in Nigeria, adding that that such commitment of his administration to quality tertiary education, was already propelling the country to greatness, economic growth and development.

Buhari further said his administration understood the relevance of education in achieving national greatness and development.

The President who was represented by Prof Chinedum Mwajiuba, former Vice Chancellor of the university and Scholar with the National Universities Commission (NUC), said federal government was committed to funding education at all levels.

Buhari said, “I am glad we have released 100 per cent capital allocation for the university this 2021.

“It goes without saying that the quality and quantity of functional knowledge and saleable skills at the disposal of our nation’s citizens is directly proportional to their degree of socio-economic and political empowerment especially in 21st century economy.

“I urge all Nigerians and especially the academia to remain focused in the cardinal objectives of university education which are teaching, research and community service,” Buhari said.

The President urged the graduands to remain good ambassadors of their alma-mata and use the knowledge to contribute to national development.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university,  Prof. Sunday Elom, said a total of 916 students graduated in the university’s 6th convocation out of which 21 made first class.

“The university in the previous four Convocation ceremonies admitted 124; 247; 355 and 512 graduands respectively into the first degrees of the institution.

“The 2021 number of graduands shows that we are making steady rise, the graduands are being awarded Bachelor’s degrees in 10 faculties,” Elom said.

He said that the graduates of the university had been groomed in the institution’s core values of excellence, integrity and entrepreneurship.

The VC who reiterated the university’s culture of academic excellence noted that AEFUNAI was the only public university to mobilise its students for the 2019/2020 National Youth Service Corps programme despite the hiccups occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is an evidence of our seriousness as an institution and premium we place on our students. We are glad that you successfully completed camping exercise and now at your places of primary assignment,” Elom said.

He said that the university would continue to keep its promise of maintaining the academic calendar in order to graduate and mobilise all hard working students to National Youth Service Scheme every year.

He urged fresh graduands to represent the institution wherever they found themselves and appealed to them not to settle for less.

He said, “As we release you today into the globalised economy, remember who you are – soaring eagles, do not settle for less.”

Oba Michael Gbadebo, the Aleke and Paramount Ruler of Egba Land and Chancellor of the institution in his speech urged the graduands to remain focused on their dreams, and  be good ambassadors of the university anywhere the might found themselves.

Prof Nimi Briggs, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, on his part, applauded the graduands for meeting the requirements for the award of a degree of the institution, and urged the graduands not to forget the university’s timeless principles of excellence; integrity, hard work, responsibility and self reliance on which they had been trained.