By Tony Okafor, Awka
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State is yet to receive N500 million take off grant from the Federal Government 32 years after it was established.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Charles Esimone disclosed this in an interview with journalists.
Recall that Nnamdi Azikiwe University popularly called ‘UNIZIK’ or ‘NAU’ was established in 1991 by the Federal Government from the defunct Anambra State University of Technology.
It was named after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President of Nigeria. The University has three campuses, the main campus located in Awka, another in Nnewi, and the last at Agulu which houses the Faculty of Pharmacy, all situated in Anambra State.
Speaking, the VC said the university was yet to receive a take off of N500 million from the Federal Government.
He said, “We still have not received that. We’ve made a lot of efforts, but it is yet to come. So I have decided not to focus on that but to go through other means to source for funds.
“I must say that we have enjoyed certain level of federal government funding, but this is purely through personal relationships and manoeuvring here and there, including the National Assembly.
“We have also had lots of special interventions from TetFUND. My relationship with members of the National Assembly has made them bring their personal projects.
“Directly or indirectly, I’ve compelled them, through goodwill, to invest in the university. At some point, it was as if they were competing on who would do the biggest project here.
” I got a sitting House of Representatives member from Enugu to site his water regulation project in this place. But for the take off grant, we have not gotten any at the moment.”
