The management of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun state on Monday, said its efforts exerted in containing the spread of the dreaded Ebola disease in 2014 had not been fully compensated as Nigeria Government still owes the University the sum of $375,000 (N135 million) for its clinical services and test kits provided to curtail the spread of the deadly hemorrhagic disease.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 9th Convocation Press briefing held at the institution’s Senate Chamber, Prof. Debo Adeyewa, Vice-Chancellor and Prof. Christian Happi, Director, African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), jointly declared that it took the intervention of the World Bank and Redeemer’s University to effectively control the spread of the disease in the country.
He said, while the institution has been leading others in the area of research, getting funds to finance many of its research projects has been an issue, but however called for government’s support to surmount the perceived challenges by releasing the money being owed on the medical services rendered for the nation.
The institution’s Vice Chancellor also blamed the orientation, rather than affordability for the low enrolment in private universities, but declared that as
of measures to offer assistance to the indigent students, the institution has a scheme to which staff members and less privileged students contribute to on monthly basis, explaining that the school usually draws money from the scheme to augument the fees for poor students.
Adeyewa also announced the United States approval of a five-year research grant of $4.3million through Department of Defence under H3Africa Research network, just as he said that approval had also been given to the University to run courses such as Law, while approval for Engineering, Environmental Studies and Basic Medical Sciences are still pending.
Giving the breakdown of the graduantes, Adeyewa said the set of students that will be graduating is the last, that were given admission at the temporary site of the university in Ogun state.
He said 465 students, 22 out of whom made first class honours, as well as 145 and 203 others, who made second class upper and second class lower respectively, will graduate during the 9th convocation ceremony.
Also, as part of the Convocation activities, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to witness the Commissioning of Centre for Chemical and Biochemical Research Complex, while the Convocation and Awards of Degrees holds on Thursday at the main campus of the university in Ede.
Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo.
