The National Universities Commission (NUC) has authorised the founding of Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science, and Technology, Oferekpe.
NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu presented a letter of recognition to Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State on Thursday, stating that the university is now ranked as the 278th in the Nigerian University System and the 66th state university in Nigeria.
During the brief ceremony, the Executive Secretary congratulated the Governor and the good people of Ebonyi State for the feat. pic.twitter.com/AjICj3WjYE
— National Universities Commission (@OfficialNUC) January 23, 2025
He stated that a copy of the letter of recognition would be sent to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
However, the head of the NUC disclosed that the university will not start classes until the required resource verification is complete.
“We want to say on the part of the Commission, we are ready and willing to support this young university. However, we need to indicate that giving a recognition letter is not equated with the starting or commencement of academic activities. We will still have to undertake what is called resource verification.
“The Commission will visit when the university is ready; it will invite the Commission to go and look at the state of affairs, to look at the infrastructure, to look at the classrooms, look at the library, look at the staffing.
“After that, the Commission will give the go-ahead for commencement of academic activities. It is pertinent to note that this university becomes the 66th state university,” he said.
On his part, the Ebonyi State Governor said the university was proclaimed in 2021, adding that the reason for its establishment is to increase access to higher education.
“The reason for the establishment of this university is to ramp up the access to quality and affordable tertiary education, particularly for the state indigenes, and grant everyone the opportunity to tertiary education in order to address the needed technological manpower requirements of the state in particular and the nation in general, especially now that the world is fast-changing because of the tech-driven phenomenon,” he said.
Governor Nwifuru also assured of adequate funding for the university, saying, “The need for adequate funding for the sustainability of institutions of this magnitude is never lost on us as a government. And I want to assure you that Ebonyi State, under my leadership, will ensure that adequate budgetary provisions in both capital and recurrent expenditures are made available on sustainable basis in order to guarantee the academic growth, relevance, and quality assurance of this nascent institution.
“On the gradual take-off of this university, I want to further inform the Executive Secretary that the State Government has already injected critical mass of funds towards the construction of some strategic buildings on the university campus at Oferekpe, Agbaja, Izzi LGA.
“As at today, the following structures, like the Senate Building, the Staff Quarters, the Students’ Hostels, the Faculty Buildings, the University Library, etc., are at various stages of completion.”
On the critical manpower needed to drive the developmental strides of this university, the governor said, “I am happy to inform the Executive Secretary that the principal of this have since been appointed by my government. And just last Saturday, I had the honour and privilege to flag off the Ebonyi State scholarship program, where about 1000 students are already being trained for Masters and Doctorate degrees in both local and foreign universities.
“It is intended that on graduation, these trained officers shall be injected into the various tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State in order to contribute in building the needed human capital development in the state.”
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