Addressing newsmen in Umuahia on Thursday as part of the school’s 2019/2020, 2020/2021, and 2021/2022 combined convocation, the VC also highlighted other challenges, including “inadequate physical facilities, poor funding, non-release of take-off grants, high demand on the provision of amenities and public utilities, especially electricity and water, and bad roads”.
He also noted that some of the challenges include access to and control of the land acquired for the university by the federal government and constant disruptions in the academic calendars due to national industrial actions.
He added that most Nigerian universities owned by the government are yet to recover from the impact of both the COVID-19 pandemic and the eight-month-long industrial action by staff unions.
However, Iwe noted that in spite of the challenges, the university has been moving forward on many fronts.
“Despite the brick walls we face, I am pleased to let you know that we have continued to make remarkable headway in various key areas.
“For instance, we are succeeding in making MOUAU an entrepreneurial university in line with our dream of ensuring that it attains a level of enterprise that would enhance its resources.
“Our bread and biscuit factory, as well as our water factory, are growing exponentially. All our colleges are also thriving.
“Within the next two months, our feed mills will be functioning. We will have enough feed for our animals and excess to sell for profit. Additionally, we are working hard on getting feed internally for our fish so we can boost fish production to generate more revenue.
“We are also enhancing our laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment, and we will continue to do so for sciences and engineering”, he said.
The VC lamented the strains in funding the various projects. He said, “Funding the university and all these are by the grace of God and by being prudent. Our resources are small, and we spend about N44 million every four weeks to buy diesel.
“We have decided to put prudence in all we do.”
The VC disclosed that efforts are being made by specialised universities to get the federal government to enlist in related courses, as well as the take-off grant still being owed to the university since inception.
About 8,369 graduands will be covocated during the upcoming convocation.
