JOE EFFIONG, UYO
The Nigerian former national goalkeeper, Mr Vincent Enyeama and the wife of the former minister of defence, Senator Daisy Theophilus Danjuma are among the three personalities approved by the governing council of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for honorary doctorate award during the forth coming 26th, 27th and 28th convocation ceremonies of the University.
The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo who has announced this at a pre-convication press conference at the coulcil chambers of the University, said the former vice chairman of ExxonMobil and advisor, Inoyo Toro Foundation, Mr Udom Inoyo, is also among the honorary award receipients.
Prof Ndaeyo noted that a total of 14, 866 graduands would convoke at the ceremonies, asding that this year’s convocation is the first to be conducted since his assumption of duties as the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of University of Uyo. and that the University is one of the fastest growing and highly preferred second generation University in the country.
He gave the summary and classification of the graduands as as follows : “Total Postgraduate graduands = 2,672;
Total Undergraduate graduands 11,795;
Total Diploma Graduands = 318
Total Certificate graduands = 81
Grand Total of Graduands 14,866.”
Away from the convocation, Nyaudo mentioned strides his administration has recorded in the university,
“Presently, over 90% of our academic programmes have been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) with most of them at Full Accreditation status. University of Uyo is running a total of 93 programmes as at now.” Ndaeyo said.
“Out of 93 programmes, 82 have full accreditation status. Out of the remaining 11 programmes. Nine (9) are new programmes that have had positive Resources Verification results and are operational.”
He said only two of the programmes have interim accreditation status namely, Accounting and Civil Engineering.
“Both are undergoing another accreditation this year and we are hopeful to have positive outing.
“It is necessary to mention that besides our earning full accreditation for our Medicine and Pharmacy programmes, NUC has increased the quota of admissions to these two faculties. We have also split and unbundled some programmes/faculties”.
Nyaudo said his administration attaches high premium to staff welfare by ensuring that staff are promoted as when due.
“Staff promotion in the University system is a yearly exercise and this University has kept faith up to 2022. For 2023, the Appointment and Promotion Committee (A&PC) would soon meet in order to recommend qualified staff for promotion.”
He point out that between December 2020 when his administration came on board and October, 2023, a total of 266 professorial promotions made up of 107 Professors and 159 Associate Professors, have been announced.
“This number is unprecedented in the history of this University and more are awaiting announcement. It has been the resolved of this administration to eradicate the syndrome of promotion in arrears and, by God’s grace, we will achieve this shortly.”
Apart from staff promotion, the Vice Chancellor said his administration has also considered it pertinent to encourage and enhance staff capacities and development by ensuring that the desired qualified staff are granted Staff Development Awards and training, while staff who distinguished themselves in their assigned responsibilities and careers are commended.
On improvement on physical structures in the University, Ndaeyo said his administration inherited a number of projects initiated during the previous administrations.
“It is worthy of note that a total of 28 projects were ongoing at the inception of this administration. Out of the number, 14 projects had been completed and put to use while the remaining ones are on-going.”
“Similarly, a total of seven physical projects have been initiated during the life of this administration and three is fully completed and put to use while others are at advanced stages of completion”.
He said the number of projects completed and put to use has helped to lessen the problem of shortage of the physical structures in the University hence facilitating the movement of two faculties to the main campus while some of the completed projects are billed for official inauguration during the
The Vice Chancellor said the university has maintained a healthy relationship with the host communities.
“To facilitate this relationship, a unit has been created in the office of the Vice-Chancellor headed by a deputy registrar to relate with the community leaders or their representatives to enhance mutual relationship.”
He however said the University is faced with serious security threat, inadequate funding, encroachment on University land, shortage of manpower in some critical field of studies owing to embargo on employment by the federal government.
Nevertheless, he started that University is well positioned to take its rightful place in the educational sector, believing that the Ffderal government would improve the funding of the universities in the country and also grant approval for the employment of more staff in the university system.