UNIUYO VC decries funding gaps in varsities, seeks alumni intervention

Professor Chris Ekong, Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, has sounded an alarm over the critical funding deficit plaguing Nigerian universities. He lamented that the allocated funds are insufficient for maintaining operations and delivering quality education.

Ekong revealed that capital budgets for public universities have fallen below 10 percent over the last four years. Furthermore, federal officials annually collect 25 percent of universities’ internally generated revenue, with potential deductions from personnel budgets if compliance is not met. "The universities are so poor, we want the Alumni to help us," Ekong stated.

These concerns were raised during the University Alumni Association’s one-year anniversary lecture and the official handover of the renovated 550-capacity ELF Lecture Theatre. The event, themed "From Great Minds to Great Impact," took place at the university’s main campus on Nwaniba Road.

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It’s disappointing that Nigerian Universities are still not being well funded. Capital budget for the past four years given to universities is less than 10 percent. The universities have no money, but federal officials are coming every year to collect 25% of the internally generated revenue and if you don’t give they will charge from your personnel budget,the budget you should have used in paying That is the situation that we are in,God will help us.

Ekong appealed to the University Alumni Association for intervention to help bridge the funding deficit. He expressed his intention to invite the association to join his Advisory Committee, ensuring transparency in the management of collected funds and intellectual property. "I want to thank the Association for taking positive steps towards the provision of this recovered edifice," he added.

Earlier, the President of the University Alumni Association, Mr. Ekerete Adiaiduo, detailed the association's interventions. These include efforts to resolve prolonged transcript issuance delays and the donation of a generating set to restore consistent power supply to the Examinations and Records Unit, thereby improving efficiency.

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The universities are so poor, we want the Alumni to help us. I want to thank the Association for taking positive steps towards the provision of this recovered edifice. During the courtesy visit in the morning, I said I’m going to invite the Alumni into my Advisory Committee, so you can know what we are doing with the money we collect on your behalf, know what we are doing with intellectual property because it’s your university.