Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, (Professor of Food Science and Technology) and Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, has said that his institution witnessed a significant slowdown in the past year due to adjustment of staff and students following a devastating COVID-19 pandemic from which the entire world is still recovering.
The Vice Chancellor, who stated this while marking his one year in office, also disclosed that paucity of fund was also a major brick wall, which impeded the university’s desire to change the state of her infrastructure and physical facilities.
Ofo said the institution was in dire need of funds to upgrade the physical environment, especially considering the fact that MOUAU was among the universities that started without take-off grant from the Federal Government.
He noted that since the institution is in a rural environment, it makes provision of amenities more daunting due to the very exorbitant costs of development in such setting.
“Unfortunately, we are faced with the challenge of low staff cooperation, sabotage by our younger trainee staff, who after enjoying university scholarship, refuse to return to serve the university. There is also the problem of lack of leadership/mentorship from our senior staff, which plays truancy and even go to the extent of absenting themselves from statutory meetings of the University”, said the VC.
Ofo noted that despite the problems being faced by the Institution, his administration made headway by making some impacts in the last 12 months of his administration, which are divided into two major components: soft and hard components.
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He enumerated his achievement under soft components to include: digitalization of the university, which fast-tracks the processing students statement of results and transcripts handling and issuance, e-senate, electronic students’ union government elections, revitalization of the university’s, information dissemination channels, students welfare, alumni welfare, partnerships, conflict resolution and research and innovation among others.
Under hard components include; fast-tracking and mobilisation back to site of contractor working towards the completion and expansion of College of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology and Extension, Rehabilitation of Pius Anyim Auditorium, construction of erosion control channels, and additional works along Olokoro Access road.
Others are; facilitation of the handing over of the university’s completed bread and biscuit factory, commissioning of the refurbished and rebranded MOUAU filling station, recovery of the university’s fish pond and raising of commercial fish for the Institution, clearing of 400 hectares of land for teaching, research and commercial purposes and purchase of modern farm equipment through collaboration with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development among others.
The Vice-Chancellor reiterated that the efforts of his administration would be hinged on prudent management, fairness, friendship and partnership, physical development, research and innovation, staff and students’ welfare and information and communication technology.
