ABAKALIKI—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, stated that the Federal Government would ensure that the country remains one, irrespective of the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the North East and other agitations in different parts of the country.
The President who stated this at the 2nd convocation ceremony of the Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, FUNAI, Ebonyi State, added that the unity of the country cannot be compromised as the nation was better together than divided. Represented by a director in the National University Commission, NUC, Barr. Victor Onuoha, the President expressed the commitment of his administration to uplift the status of universities across the country, adding that the federal government had already released N1.498 billion ecological fund to assist the institution in addressing the soil and landscape challenges of FUNAI’s environment. He charged the institution to build bridges of friendship with other universities outside the country in line with extant laws, stressing that the country needed the contributions of intellectuals in various sectors of the economy. Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, who was represented by the Commissioner of Education, Prof. John Eke commended the management of FUNAI for the initiatives it has put in place towards uplifting the standard of the Institution. The Governor donated the sum of N4.7million and bags of Abakaliki rice to the Institution to enable them celebrate the Yuletide season. Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, stated that 247 graduands were awarded Bachelor’s degrees in this year’s convocation ceremony. According to him, of these 247 graduands, 22 bagged First Class, 140 had Second Class Upper, 80 got Second Class Lower and 5 had Third Class. He attributed the 100 percent increase in the number of graduands compared to that of last convocation to some factors including staff commitment, good laboratories and workshops, excellent and world class staff-student ratios.
Sourc Vangaurd