Buhari Task Varsities On Innovation, As FUO Holds Median Convocation

By: Ariwera  Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

President Muhammadu Buhari has tasked universities in Nigeria to embrace innovations in order to set the pace for the advancement and technological breakthrough of the nation.

Buhari gave the charge Saturday at the maiden convocation of the federal university Otuoke, FUO Bayelsa state.

Represented by the deputy executive secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Dr. Ramond Usman the president who is the visitor of the institution reiterated his commitment toward giving adequate funding to the Education sector of the nation, saying that through research and innovations universities and other institutions of learning will become centers of excellence.

Commending the University for its Willingness to compete with its peers in other parts of the country, the president noted that despite the generation a university falls into all universities have advantage through collaborations and partnerships, taking into cognizance modern trends the university administration and management.

Also speaking, Minister of state for Transport who also doubles as pro-chancellor and chairman, governing council of the institution, Senator Gbemisola Saraki restated the interest of her council to making institution world class through effective and efficient policies and decisions, reaffirming that the council under her leadership would work closely with the educational interventionist agencies for the provision of infrastructure and leverage for the school.

The pro-chancellor maintained that at her inception into office major disciplinary measures were taken in consonance with extant laws governing the administration and management of the institution which led to the discipline and reward of both academic and non-academic staff.

In his address commemorating the event, Vice-chancellor of the school, professor Accra Jaja described the institution as a family university noting that through team work the governing council, the learning centre has added more programmes to the already existing ones and have since accredited same with the National Universities Commission.

Expressing appreciation to staff and student of the university, Jaja warned that staff or students who fall short of acceptable conducts will be shown the way out of the institution, just as he commended the federal government for awarding and commencing the building of additional projects in the school.

Jaja said “I am pleased to proclaim that the federal government has graciously approved the construction of some state-of-the-art lecture theatres, laboratories and offices in the 2018 Budget Appropriation to further enhance quality teaching and learning in the university. These projects are being executed according to the planned timelines. A visit to the site will be a living testimony.”