Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Prof. Hillary Edeoga, says lack of land for development and expansion is hampering the school’s quest for institutional accreditation.

Edoga expressed worry that that MOUAU was finding it difficult to access the expanse of land originally mapped out for it.

The Vice Chancellor told Transport & Business Express that though programmes of the school have been accredited by the National Universities Commission, the school itself was yet to attain institutional accreditation because most of its development efforts were temporary in nature occasioned by lack of space.

He said the management of the school craves for mutual, cordial relationship with the host communities and would, therefore, continue to seek amicable resolution of the issue.

However, Edeoga used the opportunity of the recent hosting of the JAMB technical summit by the school to bring the matter to the Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, and appealed to him to intervene. The MOUAU VC at the same time requested JAMB to increase the admission quota of the specialised university on the grounds of current development efforts which have yielded more accommodation, practical and research facilities and improved the carrying capacity of the school.

Transport & Business Express also gathered the Vice Chancellor has initiated a dialogue process between the school and its host communities comprising Olokoro Clan in Umuahia South local government area and Ikwuano in Ikwuano local government.

During a meeting with traditional rulers of Olokoro Clan held in the institution, Prof. Edeoga enumerated problems militating against developing MOUAU to a world-class standard to include great difficulties in accessing lands, activities of speculators, encroachment, harassment and beating up of students as well as abandonment of contracts by some indigenes of the host communities.

He made a passionate appeal to the royal fathers to intervene and address these problems for the good of all stakeholders. He reassured them that the university would continue to live up to its social responsibilities, including employing their sons, organising agricultural enlightenment programmes for farmers of the host communities and free tutorials for their students writing JAMB, and WAEC and NECO examinations.

The traditional rulers, led by Eze PatrickOffor, assured the VC that they would take a critical look at the complaints he had laid, describing the meeting as the first of its kind and confidence-building

Photo Caption
Vice Chancellor, Prof. Edeoga