As part of its contribution to national development, the University of Lagos (Unilag) Alumni Association has offered to make available to the Federal Government the abundant skills and talents in its various sectoral Alumni groups.
Sonny Kuku, National President of the Unilag Alumni says the Federal Government can draw from the Association’s various sectoral groups as resources and think-tanks to boost the economy.
Kuku while speaking during a courtesy visit by members of the National Executive Committee of the Association to Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President at the Aso Villa in Abuja recently disclosed that the Association is keen to support the Federal Government in Nigeria’s trying times and to provide its perspective on the way forward for the nation and its economy as well as the university system.
He gave the Alumni’s perspectives on social development especially relating to human capital development, security and the provision of quality social services. He emphasized the challenges of infrastructure improvement, diversifying the economy through agriculture and manufacturing, resolving foreign exchange issues and providing a more business-friendly environment.
Yemi Osinbajo, who is also an alumnus of the University while welcoming the Alumni said the task of nation building is a demanding one and the Federal Government needs all the help it can get from every Nigerian. He assured members of the Association that he would continue to do his best in the discharge of his duties as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and make the University and its Alumni association proud.
Kuku further urged government to seek ways of engaging the youth, particularly on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), as a way of ensuring that the contribution of this vital segment of the population is efficiently exploited. He added that the government needs to accelerate and sustain its interventions in power and transport sectors.
Offering perspective on ways to improve the university system in terms of funding and autonomy, The Association recommended a 3-point solution to the perennial problem of funding in the nation’s university system.
It wants the Federal Government to pay the universities per student instead of the current arrangement where subventions are doled out. Also, the Association wants our universities to place less emphasis on the tedious task of driving internally generated revenue because this distracts them from offering resourceful solutions to the nation’s challenges by way of inventions and breakthrough research, among others. “Lastly, the students must be encouraged to pay reasonable fees and all levels of government (local, state and federal) give scholarships and student loans”, just as individuals, communities and well-meaning organisations should also come to the party, he said.
Giving the Association’s perspective on university autonomy, Kuku said “We believe that universities should become autonomous and governed independently, rather than through the Federal Ministry of Education, which could remain a regulator… We also believe that the structure of appointments to university councils should be reviewed.”
The association expressed delight with the Library Funding support by the Federal Government to the University of Lagos recently. It sought further intervention in addressing housing deficiency in the system, land reclamation and structural changes in financial autonomy to cut red tape and enable the university to fast track development.
Other members in the Alumni Association’s delegation to the Villa included Seni Adetu, 1st Vice President, Arit Ibanga, 2nd Vice President and Olayide Abass, the immediate Past President of the Association.
KELECHI EWUZIE
