The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Chris Ekong, has raised an alarm over a severe funding deficit plaguing Nigerian public universities, revealing that capital budgets allocated to these institutions over the past four years have consistently fallen below 10 percent.
Speaking on Friday at the university’s main campus, Professor Ekong lamented that despite the acute shortage of operational funds, federal officials mandate a yearly 25 percent remittance of the universities’ internally generated revenue (IGR).
He warned that non-compliance with this directive results in punitive deductions directly from the institutions’ personnel budgets, crippling their ability to pay staff and deliver quality education.
The Vice Chancellor voiced these concerns during the University Alumni Association’s one-year anniversary lecture and the official handover of the newly renovated 550-capacity ELF Lecture Theatre.
Emphasizing that public universities can no longer rely solely on government funding in a struggling economy, Professor Ekong made an impassioned appeal to the alumni body to intervene and help bridge the financial gap.
To foster transparency and collaboration, he announced plans to invite the association into his Advisory Committee, allowing them to directly monitor how student fees and intellectual properties are managed.
In his opening remarks, the President of the University Alumni Association, Mr. Ekerete Adiaiduo, highlighted the body’s proactive measures to support the institution, specifically focusing on critical infrastructure and administrative bottlenecks.
Notably, the association intervened in a prolonged transcript issuance crisis that had left many graduates in distress by donating a power-generating set to the Examinations and Records Unit, which had been paralyzed by erratic electricity supply.
This intervention successfully restored efficiency to the unit, clearing the backlog and allowing alumni to access the credentials needed for international opportunities.
Adiaiduo further disclosed that the association has launched global outreach initiatives to bridge the distance between the university and its alumni scattered across the diaspora.
The goal of this campaign is to channel international expertise, networks, and goodwill directly back into the development of UniUyo.
The event, held under the theme ”From Great Minds to Great Impact,” underscored a shifting paradigm where former students are increasingly expected to drive physical and academic growth within their alma maters.
Delivering the keynote lecture, the former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Philip Afaha, echoed the necessity of external support but cautioned alumni against misusing their platforms.
In his address, titled ”From Great Minds to Great Impacts: The Role of Alumni Associations in Institutional Growth and National Transformation,” Professor Afaha warned against the trend of using alumni associations to harass university management for contracts, employment, or admissions.
He asserted that alumni must act as vital pillars of support through scholarships, grants, and infrastructure, rather than viewing the association as an empowerment platform for personal gain.
