FG TASK UNIVERSITIES: AS FUTA CHURNS-OUT 5,549 GRADUANDS
Federal government has urge Nigerian universities to intensify their engagement with industry particularly the small and medium scale enterprises ( SMEs) which are the drivers and sustainer of the economy.
President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by Dr Suleiman Yusuf, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), stated this over the weekend at the 31st convocation of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
According to him, "Naturally, we rely on our universities to play a more active part especially through their research and innovation endeavours.We also rely on them to proffer solutions and elucidate road maps and the trajectories through which government can achieve its laudable projects,” he said.
The president noted that there was room for more result-oriented and sector-focused collaborative research dealing with specific aspects of Nigeria’s socio-economic and technological challenges and programmes.Government expects research-informed support of its various initiatives and programmes , with support from the universities.
In his words, "It is also not out of place for Nigerian universities to dedicate some of their research endeavours toward the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on each university’s comparative and competitive advantages.
” I, therefore, challenge particularly our specialised universities to double their efforts to demonstrate their relevance by contributing more significantly, through research and innovation, towards Nigeria’s attainment of SDGs,” he said.
While promising that government would continue to fulfil its obligations to the universities, saying that university managers should make judicious use of available funds.
Earlier in his speech, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, stated that a total of 5,549 students were been churn-out at this convocation as granduands from various schools.
In his break-down, a total of 3,110 students graduated and received their diploma and first degree certificates and prizes, as 153 with first class, 1,514, second class upper division,1,212 second class lower division , 216 and 15 had third class and pass respectively. While 1,439 were awarding postgraduate diploma, Masters and Doctorate degrees for deserving graduates.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that FUTA had continued to accord priority attention to staff welfare, with optimum aim of quality productivity, saying the university have as a result of this, been constantly engaging the four staff unions in the university in order to sustain the industrial peace on campus.
He informed that the university has increased car refurbishing and furniture loans. Just as the Governing Council also graciously approved the reviewed career structure of non-teaching staff thereby resolving the problem of stagnation in career progression as a total of 117 academic staff and 337 non-teaching staff were promoted during the period under review,” Fuwape said.
The VC promising to continue at providing resources to improve the welfare of staff within the available funds and devise mutually acceptable staff development welfare scheme.
Fuwape expressed gratitude over the substantial assistance, collaboration and goodwill from well-meaning individuals, organisations and institutions towards the development of the university
The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Riliwanu Adamu , Chancellor of the university noted that it is heart warming that FUTA is leading in several areas, while solicits that this tempo should be sustained.
The Chancellor commends the President for his commitment to upgrading the fortunes of the Nigerian people, enjoined government not to relent in its efforts in creating more jobs and opportunities for graduating students to transform their ideas into entrepreneurial businesses in an environment of peace, security and economic stability.
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