By Amaechi Agbo

The newly appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa has identified priority areas that need urgent attention in tackling the challenges facing the university.

Speaking with ESUT Monitor shortly after their first Council Sitting on Tuesday following inauguration by the State governor, the former Permanent Secretary of FCT listed funding, insecurity, epileptic power supply as well as indiscipline as major issues that need to be holistically tackled if the needed new administrative drive will succeed.

Mr Ohaa who noted that no university can survive under such conditions, however said that the Council’s first sitting will provide a road map in tackling the challenges headlong

“The first sitting was very wonderful, there’s rendition of all the challenges and all the gains from the Vice-Chancellor and we are happy because the man has the full dossier of what you people are passing through in ESUT.

“Everything is anchored on funding, not only subvention, there are a lot of uncompleted projects here, there is no water and there is no steady electricity supply. No university will succeed in this type of environment. Students need to have a level of good environment for them to be able to learn and bring the best out of them

“Secondly is insecurity and disciplinary issues.

“We are going to tackle most of these things and then the students and lecturers relationships so that nobody will take advantage of any other. You know all these fraudulent practices, even students blackmailing lecturers; we will not tolerate that. If a lecturer is not meeting up with the standards expected of him, we are not going to tolerate that.

“We have looked into it, asked questions and we are looking at compiling a strategic document so we can articulate the best way the ruling plan.

“That strategic document we are going to come up with, is what will be our compass that will direct all our actions because after that we are going to discuss with the Visitor of the University, who is the governor of the state and from there we can take bearing.”

It could be recalled that the Enugu State Governor through a memo on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 announced the appointment of Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa as a replacement for Most Revd. Bishop Godfrey Onah as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the university.

Similarly, Prof. Uchenna Ekwochi replaces late Prof Innocent Okafor as Provost, ESUT College of Medicine, ESUCOM.

Other members of the board also approved by the Enugu State Governor, His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubisi Mbah are: Prof. Ikenna Chukwu, Engr. James Ajibo Ifeanyi, Gladys Ngozi Okoro, Hon. Chinedu Onu and Dr. Eric Oluedo.