by UNICAL Press Corps
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), South-South Caucus have solicited the support of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar in pursuit of the ideals of the Society.
This position was made known when the Leader of the Caucus and one-time Chairman of the Calabar Branch of the body, Engr. Monday. T. E. Essien led other members of the professional body to pay a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor.
Engr Monday Essien, a Fellow of the Society said they were in the University to congratulate the Vice Chancellor on her emergence as the first female Vice Chancellor of the 2nd generation Ivory Tower and to seek avenues for collaborations between the professional body and the university.
According to the Caucus Leader, the body is already working with the incipient faculty of Engineering in the areas of practical training and workshops for its students, adding that, they are open to doing more where necessary as the faculty prepares for the forth coming accreditation exercise.
The one-time General Manager of the Cross River Basin Development Authority used the occasion to itemize areas where the body seeks the support of the university including; sponsorship of her members working with the Institution to her upcoming AGM/Workshop and attendance at a programme to be hosted by the branch.
Describing the Vice Chancellor as a mother par excellence, Engr. Essien applauded her strides since assumption of office, noting that she has become an inspiration and example to the women folk, not just in Cross River State but the Nation at large.
In the same vein, the Chairman, Cross River State Branch of the NSE, Engr. Ndifon Agbiji expressed the profound appreciation of the body to the Vice Chancellor for finding time to see them inspite of her obviously tight schedule.
The State Chairman, while introducing other members of the delegation, acknowledged the palpable passion and commitment with which the University Administrator has applied herself to the responsibilities of her office since mounting the saddle.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Banku Obi said she was delighted to receive officials of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, in her office, adding that, she was happy and impressed by their level of interest in the Faculty of Engineering despite the fact that it is a fledgling one, with lots of challenges such as inadequate equipment, lack of workshops and sundry facilities.
Prof. Obi, however, reiterated her commitment and desire to set up the Faculty so that students who graduate from there can compete with other students anywhere and anytime, even as she said, “all the University wants is that the program is in sound footing”.
The Vice Chancellor used the occasion to restate her call for Professional Bodies to work in sync with the NUC BENCHMARK for accreditation of programmes in order to ameliorate the fiscal burden placed on universities.
The brief but highly interactive event also had in attendance, the Registrar of the University, Mr. Gabriel Egbe; the Dean of Engineering, Engr. Prof. Osha Odey; Director of Works, Engr. Joseph Alaga; Past Chairmen, NSE-CB, Engineers Dr. Joseph Ukpata and Dr. Nsed Akonjom.
