Anambra Varsity generates revenue of N3.1 billion in 10months

The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, on Wednesday said it generated revenue of N3.1 billion between January and October. Prof. Solomon Ekwenze, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University, made the disclosure during the ongoing 2021 budget assessment and 2022 budget defense, before the state House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, in Awka. Ekwenze said the revenue was generated from school fees, part-time programme, post graduate programme and sale of Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination forms purchased by over 5,000 students seeking admission in the university. He said that the university got over 40 approvals for funds from the N427 million 2021 budgetary allocation for the university but the university did not get any release to carry out slated projects.

He said they proposed to construct and equip a new and modern library, infrastructure upgrade of the university and recruitment of the adequate number of staff. The most important is that the university requires accreditation of programmes. This year they lost pharmacy accreditation and they might lose more, if they do not get funds to put the required modalities in place. He appealed to the Assembly and the government to intervene, so they can get funds and get accreditation for their courses. Reacting, Mr Lawrence Ezeudu, member representing Dunukofia Constituency, expressed dissatisfaction over the challenge of getting accreditation for courses in the university. He said it is sad and embarrassing to the state that our university lost pharmacy accreditation. We have to do whatever it takes to ensure such does not occur again,.

Mr Noble Igwe, member representing Ogbaru l Constituency, said the university required all attention as the only state owned university. He said the House Committee on Tertiary Education will visit the institution to carry out thorough oversight function to ascertain what is happening in the university. In his remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Obinna Emeneka (Anambra East), lamented that the university management failed to appear before the Assembly when it was summoned for bilateral talks. They understand the financial problems of the university and as concerned institution, they invited the university management but they did not show up.

"We would have found a way to make recommendations to resolve the problems," Emeneka said.