The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the take-off of a new university named the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
With this, the university becomes the 49th state owned University in the country thus increasing the number of Nigerian Universities to 171.
The approval was given by the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Abubakar Rasheed in Abuja on Thursday, 18th April, 2019.
Professor Rasheed, while presenting the Certificate to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo, said the university located in Umuagwo, now became the second University to be established by the state.
He said the establishment of the new university had already been enacted into law by the State House of Assembly and had also met all the requirements for its recognition by the commission.
According to him, in line with our rules, we shall recognise this institution because it has fufilled all the requirements for establishing a university by a state.
“It is going to be a university fully owned by the Imo State government. The Imo State House of Assembly has enacted a law in respect of the university; the governor of the state has also assented to the law.
“Out of all the six universities proposed for establishment by Imo government, the university of Agriculture and environmental sciences has all the strategic documents ready and had been presented to us.
“With effect from April 3rd, NUC recognise the existence of the university of Agriculture and Environmental Studies as the second State owned University and the 49th university established by state governments as well as 171st university in the Nigerian university system,” he said.
Responding, Okorocha said following the increasing numbers of university admission seekers from the state, there was need to build more universities to cushion the challenges of access to tertiary institution in Imo.
“We have over 600,000 students through JAMB, seeking admission into universities and based on this circumstance, the Imo government is building more universities to cushion this challenge and provide more universities for our students to attend,” Okorocha said.
The governor said the state government had made provisions for adequate Infrastructure for the take-off of the university.
He, however, noted that the state was partnering with the private sector to help sustain the institution.
He added that infrastructural facilities had been put in place which would encourage private investors to invest in the state.
Okorocha also disclosed that the Eastern Palm University, University of Creative Technology, University of Medical Sciences, Marine university and a higher institution on Theology Studies were all underway in the state.
EduCeleb.com reports that the Imo State University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine is sited in the location of former Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, which has now been relocated to Ehime-Mbano.
The Imo State government under Okorocha has established about six new universities, two new Colleges of education and two new Polytechnics in the last eight years in office.
State officials claim the government also made enormous investments towards educational development by building more than 700 new classroom blocks for primary school pupils, renovated several secondary school classrooms and as well employed over 10,000 teaching and non teaching staff in public schools across the State.
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