The Senate of the Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, has held its inaugural session and approved that academic activities should commence in the institution from the 15th of September, 2012.
The University Senate also pegged institutional fees and charges at between sixty and sixty-two thousand naira per session.
Speaking at the occasion, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, congratulated the Senate of the University for successfully convening and described the meeting as historic and epoch-making as it marked a bold move toward eventual take off of the institution.
Professor Ibidapo-Obe, stated that as the highest academic policy-making organ of the University, members should join hands with the management to nurture the new university so as to take it to its rightful place in the academic arena.
He promised that his administration would encourage research and innovative skills among the staff and students, stressing that the staff would be encouraged to undertake research through the provision of funds and collaboration with donor agencies and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund).
He assured the staff of conducive working environment to enable them put in their best, promising that work would start on the university staff quarters next year.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that the Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo would depart from the old ways of doing things in order to mark itself out as a distinguished centre of excellence and scholarship, adding that the best brains within and outside the country had been recruited to groom the new students.
He described the new university as a blessing not only to Ebonyi State but Nigeria in general as it would provide diverse opportunities such as training and employment opportunities for the youths of the state and nation at large.
He however blamed the Ivory Tower for the travails of the nation as they have failed to provide leadership direction. He said that “the university should be held responsible for whatever problem the country is having today because she has failed to to provide the necessary leadership required to put the country in its rightful position”.
In his contribution, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, Professor Fidelis Ogah, congratulated the management for successfully convening the Senate which he described the event as history making.
Professor Ogah who is in the department of Anatomy and Physiology of the University expressed satisfaction with the steps so far taken by the Vice Chancellor to develop the University and urged him to adopt the system of Build, Operate and Transfer in the provision of hostels for the students.
The inaugural Senate meeting was attended by the deans of faculties, heads of departments, all professors and senior lecturers, including the Registrar, Mr. G. O. Chukwu.
