By CHARLES IWUOHA

Ebonyi State University has assured that the present strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would not in any way hamper the success of its combined convocation scheduled for March 12.

The University Vice Chancellor, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, gave the assurance during a press conference marking its 7th to 11th convocation ceremony held at the institution’s Law auditorium in Abakaliki.

Recall that the EBSU ASUU went on strike about two weeks ago over unfulfilled demands which pinched them against the university management.

Governor David Umahi had threatened that any ASUU member who abstains from work would lose his salary and risk his job.

The Vice Chancellor, while fielding questions from newsmen at the conference explained that the University management and its ASUU chapter had reached an understanding to call off the strike action before the onset of the ASUU national strike.

He however maintained that the convocation committee had put everything in order to ensure a hitch-free ceremony, emphasising: “The ASUU strike will not adversely affect the convocation.”

Ogbu further explained that the university would be convoking a total of 19, 966 combined graduands of 2015 to 2019, covering 7th to 11th convocation of the University. These comprised 23 Diploma graduands, 18,652 Bachelor’s Degree graduands; 272 post graduate diploma, 596 Master’s Degree and 423 Ph.D graduands.

According to him, out of the total of 18,652 Bachelor’s Degree graduands, 90 made First Class; 3,169 made Second Class Upper while 9,341 made Second Class Lower divisions. Those who made Third Class and Pass were 4,606 and 449 graduands respectively.

The Vice Chancellor, who went further to enumerate the various recent achievement of the University management, said that apart from growing its study programmes from 60 to 67, it has made remarkable impact in internationalising its education in line with global best practices.

Paying tribute to Governor Umahi for facilitating the establishment of the faculty of Engineering for the University, as well as the new College of Medicine and the Teaching Hospital complex, Ogbu extolled the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund towards achieving effective and conducive academic environment in the university.

Ogbu said: “Through the support of TETFund, the university has been able to provide new Laboratory equipments and Classroom Furniture for Departments of Geology, Applied Biology, Applied microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Home Economics, Food Science and Technology, Industrial Chemistry, Pharmacology, Psychology, Sociology and Clinical Medicine.

“The construction of the Faculty of Education complex and extension of Faculty of Science will soon commence, courtesy of TETFund support.

“The university plans to establish an Advanced Central Research Laboratory to provide scientific and social research facilities, some of the equipment for the Laboratories are already available for envisaged infrastructure.

“These are only a few of the milestones covered by the university within a short span of its existence.”

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