We can exclusively reports that apart from backlog of salaries owe the lecturers and non-academic staff of the state owned University, the last time the Abia State government gave the institution any form of subvention was in August 2014.
This unconventional situation according to some of the lecturers, who spoke toour correspondent on the grounds of anonymity, has taken its toll on the Institution to the extent that the school authority found it almost impossible to produce enough examination question papers and answer sheets for students during the recently concluded examinations.
One of the lecturers however, attributed the exorbitant tuition fee which he said is between N120, 000 to N150, 000 paid per academic session by the students to the near insolvency of ABSU.
He added also that it led to low turn-out of students during the 2014/15 academic session registration as majority of prospective students preferred Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike and some other neighboring states owned Universities where the tuition fees are relatively low and affordable.
“We lamented low turn-out during the 2014/15 session, but the 2015/16 happens to be the worst since the evolution of ABSU.
“Prospective students are fast deserting ABSU and the school authority seems to be at lost on how to remedy the situation presently as the issue of reduction or increment as regards tuition fee is the prerogative of the state government,” he said.
He further said that the best the present Governor, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu has done since his assumption apart from paying their salaries up to June, was the instruction that ABSU management should compile a list containing number of students to see how and what reduction will be effected in the tuition fees so as to encourage patronage.
Another lecturer from the sociology department said embarking on research projects and attending foreign seminars have become a mirage for ABSU lecturers because of the poor financial state of the school which he described as pitiable.
He said ABSU since its establishment in 1981 under the old Imo State by the late Governor, Sam Mbakwe as Imo State University which was later rechristened Abia State University when it was ceded to Abia State in 1991 during the creation of the state has made slow progress compared to its contemporaries.
Citing the Universities in Nigeria ratings of 2015 which placed ABSU on the distance 93 and old ratings which constantly rated the school low, the lecturer said it is an indication that Abia State government pays lip services to education and nothing more.
“Students data and documents are still in hard copies as we speak. There is no functional integrated computer network in ABSU in this contemporary world, yet efforts are not being made by Government to upgrade,” he said.
He said that most lecturers in ABSU will gladly take up appointments from any University if the opportunity beckons but added that for the lack of employment in Nigeria, most of them are left with no choice than to remain.
The present situation he said is having an adverse effect on some not too academic ABSU students and even the current crops of their graduates who he maintained cannot be compared with the 1980s, 90s and early 2000 sets with majority of them well established and are performing excellently well in their respective fields.
Lamenting also are the private hostel owners within the ABSU campus who are complaining of empty rooms as a result of low turn-out of prospective students during the 2014/15 academic session.
One of the hostel owners, Mr. Nwaeze who owns the popular Graceland Hostels said business in ABSU has become so dull since last year.
According to him, he used to have a turn-over of N10million per annum but was unable to make N4m during the 2014/15 academic session.
He attributed it to the exorbitant tuition fee which he said has revived Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia as prospective students prefer it than ABSU.
He however called on the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to reverse the tuition fee as well as upgrade ABSU to be able to attract patronage saying the poverty level in the state does not make it easy for parents to afford.
He added that the evolution of privately owned universities as well as presence of Federal universities have increased competition among the Universities as they are all striving to out-do each other in terms of academic excellence.
When the Vice Chancellor Prof. Chibuzo Ogbuagu was contacted for comments, a voice who said he is the VC’s secretary directed us to speak with the school Publi
Like MyPortalNg on Facebook!
