BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
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Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Professor Oguejiofor Ujam has disclosed that a total of 9,821 students would graduate with 167 students bagging first class degrees honours in the University’s 54th convocation ceremony.
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Oguejiofor who stated this on Tuesday while addressing a press conference at Enugu Campus of the university as part of the convocation ceremony of the institution, said that a breakdown of the degrees further showed that 3,485 had 2nd Class Honours Upper Division; 5,127 2nd Class Lower Division, while 739 are for 3rd Class Honours.
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He also said that 33 persons had Pass and 180, Unclassified.
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According to him, those for higher degrees and postgraduate diplomas that will be passing out from the school will include: 616, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D); 1101 Masters Degree, M.Sc; 133 postgraduate diplomas (PGD) and 42 Diploma.
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The VC further disclosed that seven deserving Nigerians will be given honorary doctorate degree of the University during the Convocation ceremony.
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The recipients of the honourary doctorate degrees, he said would include Engr. Chinedu Okeke; Engr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu; Chief Samuel Ogboku; Dr. Jimoh Rauf Badamosi and Chief Andrew Oru. They are to receive Doctor of Public Administration (DPA, Honoris Causa).
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Others include Senator Abdul Aziz Abubakar Yari and Mr. Emmanuel Ede Emefienim, CON, for Doctor of Business Administration (DBA. Honoris Causa.)
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The Vice Chancellor said that the convocation ceremony will begin after the Tuesday media briefing with an Exhibition at Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, Nsukka Campus today, Wednesday.
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He said that on Thursday, July 24, convocation lecture, Friday, July 25, award of first degrees, diplomas and certificates. Saturday, July 26, award of post-graduate diploma and higher degees while Thanksgiving service will be held on July 27 at St Peter Chaplaincy, UNN.
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Ujam also adduced reasons why he embarked on many overseas trips, saying that the trips were a necessity for academic institutions aspiring to global relevance.
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“My recent overseas trips have been strategically undertaken to forge and strengthen international partnerships, collaborations, and exchange programmes with leading universities and organisations worldwide”, he said.
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He explained that such international engagements and interactions are to enhance academic programmes and to expand research opportunities for students of the institution.
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“These engagements are crucial for enhancing our global visibility, enriching our academic programmes, and expand research opportunities for both faculty and students,” he said.
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He went on to explain that he visited the Leeds Trinity University in the United Kingdom recently alongside other Vice Chancellors from Nigeria, pointing out that the University would gain a lot from such visit.
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“This visit provided an invaluable platform for sharing best practices, exploring potential areas of collaboration, and strengthening ties with our international counterparts,” he explained, pointing out that his visit to the United Kingdom for the launch of the Centre for African Social and Economic Transformation (CASET) at the University of the West England, Bristol in May, “offered unique opportunity to contribute to discussions on critical issues affecting African development and to position our University as a key player in addressing these challenges through research and innovation.”
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Ujam who hinted that he will be handing over to a new Vice Chancellor next month, pointed that his administration had made significant achievements such as Providing access roads, clean water for students hostel and staff quarters , explained that through an alumnus of the University, they now have a 50, 000-liter tank that provides water for the institution.
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He however disclosed that one of the challenges bedeviling the institution is power supply which he lamented that they spend not less than N200 million every month. “This financial burden significantly impacts our operational capacity and resources allocation,” he laments.
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According to him, they are making every effort to ameliorate the problem by signing an MOU with the Rural Electrification Agency, REA.
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“I am pleased to announce that I recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rural Electrification Agency for the provision of 10 megawatts of electricity in our University”, he said.
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