The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Chris Ekong, has expressed concern over the persistent funding challenges facing Nigerian public universities, warning that inadequate government funding continues to hinder their ability to maintain infrastructure and deliver quality education.
Speaking at the University of Uyo Alumni Association’s one-year anniversary lecture and the official handover of the renovated 550-capacity ELF Lecture Theatre at the institution’s main campus on Nwaniba Road on Friday, Ekong said capital allocations to public universities have remained grossly inadequate over the past four years.
The event, themed “From Great Minds to Great Impact,” brought together alumni, university management and other stakeholders to celebrate the association’s contributions to the institution’s development.
The Vice Chancellor noted that capital budgets allocated to public universities during the past four years have been less than 10 per cent of what is required, while federal authorities continue to demand 25 per cent of universities’ internally generated revenue (IGR).
“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 said.
He appealed to the University’s Alumni Association to play a greater role in bridging the institution’s funding gap through strategic interventions and support for critical infrastructure and development projects.
“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,” the Vice Chancellor added.
Funding has remained one of the major challenges confronting Nigerian public universities for years, with university administrators and education stakeholders repeatedly calling for increased budgetary allocations to improve teaching, research, infrastructure and staff welfare. Institutions have also increasingly relied on internally generated revenue and partnerships with alumni and the private sector to complement government funding.
Earlier, the President of the University of Uyo Alumni Association, Mr. Ekerete Adiaiduo, highlighted some of the association’s interventions, including efforts to resolve the prolonged delay in transcript processing, a challenge that had affected students, graduates and other stakeholders.
He said the association remains committed to supporting initiatives that will strengthen the university’s academic excellence, institutional development and service delivery.
