The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State, Oguejiofor Ujam, says the university has been battling high electricity bills of at least N200 million monthly.
Mr Ujam, a professor, disclosed this on Tuesday in Enugu at a press briefing to mark the institution’s 54th convocation ceremony.
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“One of the most pressing challenges confronting the university, and indeed many institutions across the nation, is the escalating cost of electricity.
“We are currently grappling with unsustainably high electricity bills, with monthly expenditures across the Nsukka, Enugu, and Ituku-Ozalla Campuses exceeding an alarming N200 million,” he said.
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“This financial burden significantly impacts our operational capacity and resource allocation.”
The vice-chancellor, however, said his administration had begun efforts to mitigate electricity costs and transition towards more sustainable energy sources.
“We are rigorously implementing energy-saving measures across all campuses, optimising our energy consumption patterns, and promoting energy-efficient practices among staff and students.
“More significantly, we are actively exploring and investing in alternative energy solutions, including solar and hybrid systems,” he said.
He added that the initiative was not essentially cost-saving, but geared towards ensuring a stable and uninterrupted power supply for research and learning.
167 bag first class as university graduates, 9,821 students
Mr Ujam announced during the press briefing that 167 students of the university have bagged First Class Honours degrees in various disciplines.
The acting vice-chancellor said 9,821 students would be awarded bachelor’s degrees and diplomas certificates from the university at the convocation ceremony billed to be held on Friday at the Nsukka Campus of the institution.
He said that 3,485 students will be conferred with second-class upper degrees, 5,217 will receive second-class lower degrees, 739 will earn third-class degrees, and 33 will receive a pass.
Mr Ujam added that 180 students will be conferred with unclassified degrees.
Speaking on the postgraduate awards, the acting vice-chancellor said: “We are also conferring 616 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, 1,101 Master of Science degrees, 133 Master of Business Administration degrees, and 42 Postgraduate Diplomas.
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“These figures reflect the hard work and resilience of our students, as well as the unwavering commitment of our faculty and staff.”
The acting vice-chancellor said the university’s postgraduate degrees and diplomas will be awarded to graduates the following day, on Saturday.
Handing over
Mr Ujam also announced that his six-month administration as the university’s acting vice-chancellor has come to an end, and he would hand over to a yet-to-be-elected substantive vice-chancellor of the institution in August.
The acting vice-chancellor said he recorded several achievements as the head of the institution, citing road constructions and the establishment of the institution’s Directorate of Grants and Scholarships, among others.
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