…NONSO J. OPARA

A team of verification Officers from the Budget Office of the Federation, led by Mr Don Chibueze Nwachukwu on Thursday, April 25, 2019, visited the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

At a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, Mr Nwachukwu decried the astronomical growth of personnel budget prevalent in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies. He lamented that the nation’s personnel budget had the highest percentage amongst the various sections of the national budget while adding that it has posed a great challenge to the system. He stated that the idea aroused the need to critically assess the staff strength of all Federal establishments in Nigeria.

He, however, did not mince word when he categorically stated that they were not in FUTO to witch-hunt rather it is to work in synergy with the University to achieve the desired objective.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Eze represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Development and Innovation, Prof. Bede Anusionwu, expressed delight with the exercise but said it was rather sudden as the Management had to adjust its schedule to receive them and inform the University Community

The Vice-Chancellor explained that the University has 49 programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) with adequate academic, administrative and technical staff that met the requirements. He told them that the world is in the era of emerging technological changes adding that the University has a new School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT) having also concluded arrangements to float courses on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity so that the University will move with the trend to attain international best practices.

He also pointed out that the Departments of Mechatronics Engineering, Forensic Science and Environmental Sciences are already domiciled in the University and are facing resource verification to meet the minimum standards and added that there is need to increase the technical staff of the University as it will help to produce the future generation of Technologists, that will tackle emerging technologies, assuring that they will be given every assistance to make their work smooth and stress-free.

In the company of the Team Leader were Dangama Tende, Luke Biose and Echimina Joseph all from the Budget Office of the Federation.

Others in attendance were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Prof. J.S. Orebiyi and Deputy Registrar/Coordinator Senate Affairs – Mrs Chinatu Iloeje.

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