AE-FUNAI VC Pledges To Sustain Cordial Relationship, Collaboration With Host Community

The Vice-Chancellor of Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, Prof Sunday Oge Elom has pledged to sustain the cordial relationship and collaboration between the University and its host community – Ikwo Noyo clan.

Myschoolnews reports the Vice-Chancellor gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy call on the newly elected Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Barr. Sunday Nwankwo at the Council headquarters, Onuebonyi Echara.

Prof. Elom speaking thtough the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Abel Ezeoha said the visit was a mark of the University’s high regard for the office of the Chairman, as the host Local Government Area political leader and the Chief Security Officer of the area.

He noted that the visit accords the University Management ample opportunity to ask for official collaboration with the Council in areas of security, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, agriculture, manpower development and empowerment.

He noted that by universal standard, the tripartite mandates of the University include teaching, research and community service, adding that each of the mandate is designed and delivered to primarily serve the interests of the immediate community, pointing out that to deliver effectively on the core mandates , the operating environment needs to be conducive enough for effective teaching, learning and community engagements.

The Vice-Chancellor also noted that the university faces immense security challenges emanating from the activities of some members of the host villages, commercial tricycle riders , motorcycle operators and some faceless groups on campus , adding that while the School Management has tried to use the University Security to manage the situation, the groups have been confrontational and sometimes violent , thus needing urgent attention to nip such challenge in the bud.

Speaking further, the Vice-Chancellor, said that in terms of agriculture, the University is sited on a vast area of land which puts AE-FUNAI in frontline as one of the most endowed Universities in the country, reiterating that the institution is happy to partner with the Council on how best to take advantage of the opportunity to create employment for the villagers and improve the agricultural productivity of the Local Government Area.

Continuing, he added that in terms of Environmental Sustainability, as a new University the process of development is ongoing on Campus, including the establishment of new Faculties, provision of classroom blocks, landscaping of the environment and tree planting, adding that in a space of 12 years, the University has grown from a humble beginning of just four faculties to eleven Faculties plus a college of medicine and post graduate school, adding that the institution has strategically embarked on building a Campus- in -a -Garden through the University’s Campus Green Initiative but unfortunately theses efforts were being frustrated by the attempt of the host villagers to indiscriminately turn the entire Campus into farm land and shanty structures to target students accommodation; and therefore solicited for the intervention of the Council boss to call the villagers to order.

He concluded by pointing out that the University has over the years ensured that the primary beneficiary of its existence and operations is the host community as such the University Management is nurturing a host community-university liaison committee as a strategy for formalizing the relationship with the communities that harbor the University, adding that the committee will help to guarantee a harmonious relationship between the University Community and the host community.

While responding, the Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Barr. Nwankwo , said that the Community is excited to have the University located in its environs and would do its best to consolidate on the existing relationship the University has established with its host community.

He promised to do more on security in order to keep the peace and order of the environs , and congratulated the school on maintaining excellence and integrity during the election as adhoc staff nominated by the school performed their tasks efficiently.

He maintained that the community will keep working with the University to maintain peace and stability, while thanking the University Management on the timely visit to the Local Government as it shows their commitment as an institution interested in the growth and development of its host community .