Former vice-presidential candidate Peter Obi has inaugurated a N5 billion development fund to address infrastructure challenges in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Mr Obi, a UNN alumnus since 1984, inaugurated the capital campaign at the 60th Founders’ Day celebration of the premier university where he featured as the guest lecturer.
The former Anambra State governor had frowned at the pace of development in the university, stating that the alumni of the institution had done very little or nothing to help their alma mater.
He said that the fund raising campaign would run for a period of five years with a target mobilisation of N1 billion annually from the varsity’s alumni effective from 2021.
“If about 10,000 alumni of the university can come together and make annual contribution of N100,000.00 each, we should be able to raise one billion yearly to help our alma mater,” he said.
Obi, who promised to pay two percent of annual fund mobilisation, said that he would make funds available to the management of the university to furnish office apartment from where the fund would be coordinated and judiciously utilised.
“I will be fully involved and will personally supervise activities of the office,” he promised.
Earlier, UNN Vice-Chancellor Prof Charles Igwe lamented the deplorable state of infrastructure in the university, stating that at 60, existing infrastructure had aged and deteriorated and therefore required urgent facelift.
Igwe noted that UNN was the only first generation university in the country without a Senate building.
The vice-chancellor also bemoaned the problem of power supply. He said that the monthly energy bill of the university “which stands at over N70 million always leaves a hole in the pocket of the university.”
He, however, expressed confidence in the ability of Obi to mobilise other alumni to help the varsity.
