An Address by Professor Boniface C

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AN ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR BONIFACE C. E. EGBOKA, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 1ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY AS SUBSTANTIVE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA ON THE 3RD OF JUNE, 2010.

1.0 By this time last year, precisely on the 5th of June, 2009, we were all gathered here on the occasion of my maiden address as substantive Vice-Chancellor of this great University.

At that address I promised to unite all colleagues (academic, administrative, junior/senior, student/staff) and form a common front towards realizing the 14-point agenda propounded by the Governing Council and facilitating of the 7-Point Agenda propounded by the late President.

I also solicited your cooperation, dedication to duty, resourcefulness, selflessness, diligence, punctuality, responsible trade Unionism and leadership by example from all those who are occupying responsible positions in the University. The need for stabilization of the University Calendar of Events was also discussed at that Forum.

We are gathered here again today to appraise ourselves, and evaluate our activities within the past one year and appreciate our progress and shortcomings with a view to planning for the future. I assured you that with the cooperation of the University Management team with whom I had been piloting the affairs of the University as Acting Vice-Chancellor since May, 2008, I would maintain the regular payment of salaries and that no staff is oppressed without any just cause. You are all witnesses to the fact that we have gone far beyond the above highlighted promises and moved towards charting a new course.

2.0 STAFF WELFARE/APPOINTMENTS/PROMOTIONS

(a) Within the past one year, we have maintained the practice whereby salaries of staff are paid regularly on or before the 25th of every month. In fact, we were one of the first Universities to pay the arrears of the new salary structure approved for Universities. The new salary was continued in January, 2010 with the anticipation that the government would bring fund. When, unfortunately, the marching fund failed to come as it was not budgeted for, we reverted to the old salary pending budget approval. We are right now looking forward to the arrears of the outstanding four months.

(b) We have since my assumption of office as substantive Vice-Chancellor appointed two Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Ven. Prof. Benchuks Okeke and Prof. J. E. Ahaneku to replace their predecessors whose tenure got expired by operation of law. Arrangements are also on ground for appointment of other Principal Officers. Within the period under review we have promoted a good number of academic staff to the ranks of Lecturer II, Lecturer I and Senior Lecturer. We have also recorded a few number of promotions to Reader and Professors. These are staff whose external assessments returned positively. Similarly, we have conducted a written promotion examination for Principal Assistant Registrars who were due for promotion and those successful were promoted to Deputy Registrar. Their counterparts in the Bursary will soon have their own examinations. There have since then been several promotions of other junior and senior staff to various ranks.

(c) We have as much as possible been avoiding arbitrary dismissal of staff and termination of appointments. We ensure that the laid down procedure for disciplining erring staff and students are followed. Consequently, we are happy at the reduction of the rate at which legal suits are filed against the University in the law courts. This is in line with the government warning against ultra vires acts by University authorities.

3.0 ACTUALISED PROJECTS

(a) The Faculty of Law building has virtually been completed and will soon be handed over by the Contractor.

(b) The bore-hole project commenced with the donation of N10million by Prince Engr. Arthur Eze and supplemented with Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) was successful. An artesian water condition from a giant aquifer has been struck. Arrangements are on ground to have the water reticulated. Contract for the sinking of another bore-hole close to the Administrative block has also been awarded.

(c) The Faculty of Engineering has moved to its permanent structure to create space for the proposed Faculty of Agriculture. The place is being refurbished in anticipation of the NUC Resource Verification Visit.

(d) We used to have a very poor PHCN electricity supply from far away residential Nibo Power Station. We have now switched over to the industrial power line along Oji-River-Onitsha highway and now have a reliable and more stable power source. This has obviously reduced the expenses on diesel. The Contractor that effected the switch-over also donated two motorcycles to the University.

(e) Sadly and recently, a new high-tension line was inadvertently-approved by PHCN to pass through the centre of our College of Health Sciences premises, Okofia, Otolo, Nnewi. This would have destroyed the campus and brought untold embarrassments/penalties from the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council. After a lot of subtle but aggressive moves/negotiations, the high-tension powerline became diverted away from the University. Everybody is happy for that development.

(f) Pursuant to our resolve to source fund and material support from individuals and philanthropic organizations to assist in the development of the University, in the company of Chief Hon. Tim Egboka, I visited Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, MD/CEO, Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Lagos, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah generously-donated a 30-seater bus and eight motorcycles to the University. He also promised to construct ultra-modern hostels at Awka and Nnewi Campuses under the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) arrangement of the University. We are looking forward to the commencement of those projects.

(g) Chief G. C. Oranika, in addition to his earlier donations of the Tower and the AutoCad Laboratory, has again donated the sum of N10million for the construction of an access road from the ETF building across the Faculty of Engineering.

(h) We are lucky to benefit from the donation of a bus under the Federal Government intervention scheme. The bus has been put into use in carrying staff and students intra-campus.

(i) A number of Pharmacists have recently rendered support to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences to the tune of N10million. This is towards the impending accreditation of the programme. The donations are as a humble efforts.

(j) The attached appendix shows the huge support being rendered by Pharmacists to our Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Agulu. This is as a result of our active drive for our people/stakeholders to support our humble efforts.

(k) More buildings, water supply systems and electricity have been rehabilitated at the Pre-Science Centre, Mbaukwu.

(l) Our ETF projects activities are in good shape. The new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) went to Abuja a few weeks ago and was able to finally tighten the loose knots. The misunderstanding by the ETF concerning our nominated candidate for overseas sponsorship under the 2008 ETF intervention in academic staff training and development was resolved. The recommended batch of our nominees for local sponsorship was also cleared. As a result, we have cleared the outstanding N15.4m carried over from 2008 allocation. UNIZIK is now in good standing and qualifies for reclassification by the ETF as a performing institution on its funding. We also assisted in developing a Template which our University will use to fast-track the current and subsequent interventions by ETF so as to remain in good standing at all times.

4.0 ON-GOING PROJECTS

(a) The Stadium Phase I Project is in progress;

(b) The hostels by ELMADA, Canada, under the Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) arrangement with the University;

(c) The Chike-Okoli Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies building being constructed by Chief Dr. Stella Okoli (MON) has registered quite measurable progress with more land area added for the building of a Workshop and extension of lecture halls;

(d) The Faculty of Education building is going on with huge progress;

(e) The Faculty of Arts building is rapidly progressing;

(f) Progress is being made in the completion of the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Centre for Multidisciplinary Research. His Excellency, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, recently-released more money for work at the Centre.

(g) The Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) has visited the University, inspected and approved our site for the construction of a building for and equipping of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Part of the PTDF Project approved for the Department of Mechanical Engineering is the drilling of a standard bore-hole, construction of office building, equipments for laboratories, electricity supplies, etc. As I am speaking to you, we are expecting a consignment of Computers from them.

5.0 ACADEMIC LINKAGES

(a) The University has signed an MOU with the National Water Resources Institute (NWRI), Kaduna, in order to establish a National Water Resources Capacity Building Network (NWRCBNet) Centre for the Southeast Zone at UNIZIK. The Centre will serve as a coordinating Agency, organize and facilitate resources, establish facilities in whole or part, produce publications, mobilize funds etc. to achieve overall objectives. The mobilization and provision of financial and material support to UNIZIK are in progress.

(b) Tradomedicine Research Implementation and Linkage between NAU and WHO Geneva (TRIL).

Prof. Obioma Nwaorgu just returned from WHO Research Strengthening Committee (RSC) meeting in Geneva with heart-warming news that she held a meeting with Dr. Solomon Nwaka (Leader, Lead Discovery and Innovation Research). The outcome of the meeting is the setting-up of Tradomedicine Research Implementation and Linkage between Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the WHO. This will be a major research linkage with WHO, aimed at advancing research in Traditional Medicine, diseased control and other allied Medical research issues. An MOU is being prepared for this.

(c) On the 26th of March, 2010, a delegation from Boras University Sweden in the Company of the Director, Research and Innovation UNC visited our University. The experts from Boras University are currently researching on the generation of biogas and energy (electricity) from waste products through an integrated waste management process. They demonstrated their technology/research, following an interactive session organized by our local research team (Energy and Environment Research Team). The University discussed issues of Linkage with the Boras team and the areas of linkage include; exchange of personnel, student exchange especially

Ph.D./M.Sc. for Short or Long term. The intermediate programme, will enable our students register for Ph.D and M.Sc. in Nnamdi Azikiwe University and spend six (6) months/one (1) year in Sweden for benchwork and return to UNIZIK for the defence of the Ph.D. thesis. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NAU and UNIZIK is being processed.

6.0 UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY RELATIONS

(a) Following extensive renovation and rehabilitation of the buildings and infrastructure at the Pre-Science/Study Centre programme premises, Mbaukwu, which has made the place more habitable than it used to be, a very good rapport has been established between the Mbaukwu Community and the University. Consequently, His Royal Majesty, Igwe P. N. Anugwu (Ezeukwu Mbaukwu), in appreciation, organized a reception for the Vice-Chancellor, the German student on Linkage programme, the Chinese Director and staff of the University’s Confucius Institute. Members of the University Management and senior officials attended the ceremony which took place in the Palace of the Traditional Ruler. The Igwe promised to mobilize his subjects towards further infrastructural development at the Pre-Science/Study Centre. In order to fully-sensitize the Community we organized an orientation for the students on 27 April, 2010. The Mbaukwu Community and their leaders attended the orientation programme.

(b) The Ifite-Ogwari Community has continued to maintain a cordial relationship with the University in anticipation of the take off of the Faculty of Agriculture. The University Management has appointed an Ag. Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture which is hoped to start at the main Campus with the proposal for Ifite-Ogwari to house the Diploma programme in Agricultural Studies for now. We are waiting for the NUC visitation.

7.0 AN ADMINISTRATIVE PREVIEW OF OUTCOMES

The Management will, with effect from this month, effect a new administrative restructuring and re-strategizing of its activities in order to put the University in a proper focus for the envisioned progress and developments. Serious and unavoidable changes are being made in response to Reports from Internal Panels set up by the Vice-Chancellor or the University Management Committee (UMC) and response from queries to defaulters. People in the academic positions, Registry, Bursary, Works and Services, Physical Planning etc. have been given queries, warnings, suspensions, disciplinary trials etc. Many staff have welcomed the measures while a few do not. I have received terrible and warning text messages and evil threats. I am not worried; I am, rather, strengthened. I believe we are handling issues well. Let us work together in the interest of our students for whom were are here. We make sure we are fair and firm and follow the tenets of due process and fair hearing to the letter. Let us shun lateness to work, absenteeism, sorting, plagiarism, admission racketeering, manipulation of results before release, refusal to lecture at the appropriate time, etc. Let us exist harmoniously towards achieving a better position in the world’s rating of Universities. We are aggressively-charting a new course of growth without any let or hindrance; those who cannot cope with our pace have to drop out themselves or be dropped as appropriate. We shall continue to do our part to ensure that the good teaching and research environment is sustained.

8.0 CONCLUSION

I wish to continue to and humbly thank the Chairman and every member of the reverred Governing Council for the support being given to me so far. I am also grateful to the University Management Committee members for their unflinching support. May I also thank every member of this University Community including the Students Union Government (SUG) for their responsible behaviour throughout the past one year.

I will now listen to your questions and comments, if any, about any area of this administration that you would need some clarification or improvements.

Thanks you, once again, for attending this forum.

Professor Boniface C. E. Egboka

Vice-Chancellor