The Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Professor Aloysius -Michaels Okolie has said that the Management of the University would remain committed to prompt payment of workers’ salaries and imbuing of professionalism on the staff and students of the Institution.
Although he explained that his administration met inadequate government subvention, debt of over one billion naira, and insufficient funds to provide the needed infrastructure and welfare to workers among other challenges, he disclosed that his Management was not deterred, but has continued to confront them head-on.
He made the disclosures during the 26th Senate Meeting/ press briefing to mark 365 days of his administration as the Vice Chancellor of ESUT at it’s permanent site in Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
While thanking the State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; the Governing Council of the University; his Management team; and the staff and students for their support, he added that he would remain resolute in increasing the revenue generation and accountability index, improving learning environment and welfare indices , as well as comprehensive digitization and improving visibility and webometric ranking of the University.
He noted that the Management has reduced the wage bill of the University from June 2022 till date to over N40 million through prudent management of available resources.
On Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, he said the Management mapped out and cleared 15 hectares of land for planting of 2000 oil palm seedlings to yield revenue to the University in the near future, disclosing that the first phase of 600 has already been planted.
He equally said that the University has concluded plans to go into mechanized agriculture with the intention of becoming major suppliers of palm oil and pawpaw fruits within the next two years.
He equally said that the first commitment for his Management was to settle arrears of salaries and reduce the wage bill of the University. “Even when the total subvention of N204 million from the state government is paid in full, the Management must augment to the tune of nearly N200 million to pay monthly salary of workers,” he said.
He equally said that through concerted efforts, the webometric ranking of the University by the National Universities Commission, NUC, has improved significantly in the Commission’s 2023 ranking of universities.
He also said that the admission quota for the College of Medicine of the University has increased from 50 to 120, adding that the Institution recorded full re-accreditation in 21 out of 23 programmes reviewed by the NUC, while two programmes have partial re-accreditation.
On providing internet connectivity on campus, he said that MTN, has almost finished laying fibre optical cables and would launch free 4G Wifi services at designated areas to enhance research and work efficiency of the staff and students of the University.
He also said that the University has been selected for the award of contract for provision of broadband infrastructure project worth one billion naira through the help of Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, adding that on completion of the project, issue of internet connectivity would have been permanently addressed in the University.
The Vice Chancellor equally appealed to the incoming administration in the state to embark on upward review of the monthly subvention from the state government and to equally plug all financial loopholes in the accounting system of the University.
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