Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State University Uturu, ABSU, has been given approval by the State Government to engage additional lecturers of different categories to fill up vacant academic positions in critical areas of study.
The university has equally been given approval to procure engineering equipment worth N800 million.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, also said the approvals were in line with the efforts of the Gov. Alex Otti-led administration to reposition the institution.
Kanu recalled that Gov. Otti made a promise to renovate the Male Hostel and a few other structures in the university and revealed that the Governor had lived up to his promise.
The Commissioner said the renovation of the hostel was almost completed, and would be ready before month end, adding that work has commenced in the new 5,000 capacity hostels as also promised by the Governor.
He further revealed that ABSU had got back National Universities Commission, NUC, full accreditation for some of its programmes including Mass Communication, Law, Agriculture, and Educational Management and Planning, which it lost some years ago.
The Commissioner also said that Government had promoted staff of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic who had not been promoted since 2008, adding that payment of arrears of salaries of sacked and resigned staff of the institution have equally commenced.
“It is instructive to note that this is the first promotion exercise in the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic since 2008, making it a better morale booster for the institution.
“The payment of arrears of salaries of sacked and resigned staff of the institution have commenced as approved by the Governor.”
The Commissioner extolled the academic excellence of the institution under its current management.
“Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic is actually living up to its name as a foremost polytechnic with its technological feats as reflected in the production of an online clearance platform for students.
“The purpose of the school is to ease the stress of students in clearance processes. What this means is that you do not need to come physically to the school to get a clearance from the school.
“Also, the school is undergoing comprehensive curriculum review with the production of emerging courses including Artificial Intelligence.”
The Commissioner disclosed that a panel had been inaugurated to investigate the activities of the recently suspended Provost of the Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu, ASCETA.
