The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Prof. Comfort Ekpo, has appealed to the Federal Government for funds to develop infrastructure in the institution’s permanent site.

Ekpo, who made the appeal in Uyo while conducting newsmen on tour of facilities at the university, said that infrastructure decay was one major challenge facing the university and solicited financial assistance from corporate organisations and individuals.

She said that the university was still operating in makeshift structures at its Town Campus inherited from the defunct College of Education, Uyo.

The vice chancellor said that most of the structures were built in the 1950s when the campus started as a teachers training college and later it metamorphosed into Advanced Teachers Training College.

“Currently we have had to face inadequate office space for academic, administrative and other staff, inadequate lecture halls and poor standard students’ hostels, among others. “The University of Uyo has the burden of severe infrastructure decay that needs to be addressed holistically if it must become one of the elite institutions in Nigeria as envisaged. “While the university has been trying to focus on building its permanent site, it has to react to some challenges on its other campus. “This is like burning a candle from both ends,” she said.

The Vice Chancellor, however, said that in spite of the challenges, her administration had maintained excellent academic culture and produced some high quality graduates.

Ekpo said that all the academic programmes of the university had received full accreditation except pharmacy, which she said would soon be accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

L-R: Commodore Muhammed Garba, Rear Adm. Sidi-Ali Usman and Commodore V. Okeke, addressing a news conference in Warri last Monday.