The governing board of the University of Abuja has lamented the present condition of the institution as the council said it is determined to remodel the university to be among the six mega universities in the country.
The Chairman, Governing Council of the university, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia in Abuja last weekend, compared the present state of the institution to a local government headquarters.
Dr Ogbemudia while briefing the press after the 7th council meeting noted that the main campus located on Airport Road would have been an architectural masterpiece but regrettably not.
According to him, "this is a major challenge confronting the council and I am glad to say that the 7th council of the university has accepted this challenge.
"Of course there are also other challenges; curriculum, staff, external relations etc. We shall do our best to engage the authorities and all stakeholders in these issues."
It would be recalled that the 25-year-old institution held its 7th council meeting on Thursday, 25th April after the council was inaugurated on April 9th 2013 by the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyatu Rufa'i.
Ogbemudia said the board reached so many decisions on the university which when implemented, will transform the school.
He, however, appealed to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), UniAbuja chapter to shelve their proposed protest today, (last Monday), over government's delay in releasing the White Paper on the Report of the Special Presidential Visitation Panel on the university.
He stated that university of Abuja will be one of the Federal Government's planned six mega universities for each geo-political zone of the country adding that given the location of the university, it will be super mega.
He stated, "the location of the university in the country's precious capital unavoidably calls public attention to it, with the natural expectation that it must be a model and reference point in academic excellence, and a piece of beauty befitting Nigeria and its capital. The University of Abuja therefore assumes the status of primus inter pares amongst the country's universities."
The council, he said, decided among other things to: create a vision and strategic plan for the university consistent with the law establishing it, programme for the 25th Anniversary; and raise funds for the development of the university.
Other plans for the university include: engagement and encouragement of responsible trade and student unionism, provision of basic infrastructure and teaching aides, establishment/reconstitution of statutory and ad-hoc committees.
The council also resolved to review internal administration and adoption of best practices, facilities tours of the university's campuses; addressing the accreditation problems facing some of the courses and securing the university's boundary with neighbouring communities and the facilities within.
