BY KELECHUKWU IRUOMA & CHINONSO CHIME, UNN

VICE-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Benjamin Ozumba has called for the support and contribution of stakeholders to enable the continuous development of the university.

He made the call at a Press briefing at UNN, Enugu campus main hall to mark the 54th Founders’ Day celebration of the university and his 100 days in office.

Speaking to journalists, he said: “The occasion of a Founders’ Day celebration is a moment of thanksgiving for our institution, for its founders and their generous vision for the advancement of learning and sharing of knowledge for the benefit of all and the progress of the fatherland.

“This is the first Founders’ Day celebration of UNN I am presiding over as a VC and also it is a kind of first public presentation as a VC.”

The renowned professor of gynaecology said his overall agenda as he marks his 100 days in office is to provide UNN the leadership needed to become an academic giant and pace-setter in the quality of its scientific research, the level of its innovative teaching, and the robustness of its community service among universities in the developing countries.

He, however, grouped his agenda into five main points, which according to him, are: “staff welfare, student welfare, environmental and campus aesthetics, academic leadership and research, and academic discipline and ethics.

“The dreams and visions of our founding fathers are articulated in the motto they gave us, ‘to Restore the Dignity of Man’, are in our minds as we celebrate. It falls to us to carry these words forward. We are aware that the dreams they had may be borne only on stout shoulders, all the more reason for joint effort, for collaborative endeavour by all the stakeholders. I am calling today for the joint effort. It requires a sound and stable infrastructure.”

He also said that internally, the university needs a conducive working environment, happy and productive workforce, and a crop of students eager to learn and desirous to apply all the time and energy to this essential task.

Prof. Ozumba revealed some of the achievements he has made in his 100 days in office. He said committees have been set up to address different issues in the university, supply of water to Enugu campus of the university which has not been functioning for 15 years, visit to all the hostels in the university to know their state adding that the living condition of the students in Mbanefo Hall is bad and will be renovated shortly.