The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rivers State, has appealed to the state government to release funds accruable to the university to enable it develop its infrastructures.
Making the appeal  recently, when the House Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) visited the institution as part of its oversight functions, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, said the release of the fund would  also enhance development of the school’s ICT.
Prof Ndimele, who was represented at the occasion by the university’s Director,  Academic Planning, Prof. Vincent Ajuru, noted that the visibility of a university in the global network in terms of ICT is a determinant of the ranking of the institution.
Explaining the usefulness of ICT in the operations of the university, the VC said it had been very useful in the administration of the institution in various facets.
“The robust ICT platform in the university has made easier for delivery of administration services, financial operations and transactions, registration and release of students results and transcripts”, he said.
The Vice Chancellor also informed the House Committee members that Senate Meeting Minutes were accessible online, while plans are on to build a bigger ICT Centre and proposal made for students to write their examinations online.
Also speaking, the Director, ICT, Prof Jane Onwugbuta – Emyi, also appealed for government’s support in the provision of regular power supply in the campus.
While stating that poor power supply had constituted a major set back to the university, she noted that it would also affect the institution’s plans to build and operate a 500 capacity hall as a centre for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations.
Earlier, Chairman of the House Committee on ICT and leader of the  delegation, Hon. Nwanaka Okpokiri stated the committee’s determination to ensure that challenges faced by the university in terms of budgetary allocations and release of same were addressed.
Hon Okpokiri, who noted that ICT was one of the economic development pillars, said towards  resolving the stated challenges, the committee would ensure that donor agencies, companies etc, engaged in business around the university would be encouraged to lend necessary support.
He emphasized the need for the university to be ICT compliant and to give students the necessary training required to equip them in the new information and digital age.