Gov Otti inaugurates ABSU visitation panel, to restore academic excellence

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Governor  Alex Otti with the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu (left) and Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu (right) at the inauguration.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on Tuesday inaugurated a full Visitation Panel for the Abia State University, Uturu, in effort to revitalise and reposition the school as a centre of academic excellence.

Governor Otti tasked the panel with evaluating the institution’s administrative procedures, academic programmes, and financial management between 2019-2023.

Inaugurating the nine-member panel at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Umuahia, Governor Otti, in his speech, “Returning to the Path of True Excellence”, emphasised the importance of realigning ABSU operations in accordance with international best practices in university administration.

The Governor tasked members of the panel to conduct a thorough assessment of the institution’s academic programmes to ensure that they meet global standard and address current market demands as well as identify areas for improvement and recommend strategies to enhance the university’s overall effectiveness.

He further charged the panel to look into management of funds received by ABSU, including State Government’s subventions, internally generated revenue and intervention funding, as to ascertain how the funds have been utilised within the period under review.

Governor Otti, who noted ABSU’s historical significance as a model of excellence in learning, research and administration, expressed regret over the institution’s decline in recent times, and pointed out that government would not fold its arms and watch the university deteriorate further.

He said that his administration has the responsibility to return the institution to its rightful place as a center of excellence in University education in the country and pointed out that his singular mission in government is to reset Abia as number one in the country in all major development indications.

Governor Otti, who underscored the importance of revitalising the educational sector as a key focus of his government’s agenda, highlighted ongoing initiatives, such as the construction of model primary schools across the state and the allocation of 20% of the budget to the education sector development in the 2024 fiscal year.

“The revival of the educational sector is critical to our governance agenda and this exercise is another layer in our series of structured programmes to move things in a more desirable direction.

“We shall also be committing 20% of the entire budget outlay between the 2024 fiscal year for the development of the education sector. This sum shall cover extensive investments in the development of new infrastructure, capacity building and purchase of learning assets, including audio visual tools to engage smoother assimilation of knowledge in classrooms across urban and rural communities.

“The challenge is huge but our determination is stronger,” he said.

Governor Otti, while expressing confidence that the panel, with membership drawn from various professional bodies would live up to expectations, said their recommendations when studied, would be implemented to give ABSU its pride of place as the pinnacle of academic excellence and genuine service to humanity.

Responding on behalf of members of the panel, the Chairman, Professor Steve Okorodudu, said Governor Alex Otti has through allocating 20% of the 2024 annual budget to the education sector, made Abia the only state to have come close to UNICEF budgetary recommendation for education.

He called on the management and staff of ABSU to cooperate with the panel by volunteering relevant information to enable them achieve their mandate and thanked the Governor for finding them fit for the task.

Other members of the panel are Prof. Rose Nwabueze, Prof. Mrs. Abiola Awosika-Fapetu, Dr. Sonny Ajala, SAN, Prof. Ngozi Osarenren, and Prof. Nnenna Oyidie Okeh. There are also Mr. Emmanuel Okpechi, FCA,  Dr. Confidence Ogbonna and Mr. Dodoh Okafor, Secretary.

The event also featured the formal swearing in of the Head of Service, Dr. Mrs. Queen Ngozi Obioma.