By Alumona Ukwueze

The vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Professor Charles Igwe, has said that he would not bequeath any uncompleted project to his successor, stressing ‘’I will be ashamed of associating myself with abandoned projects.”

Professor Igwe, who stated this at the foundation laying ceremony of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development, ACE-SPED, a World Bank assisted project held in the university on Wednesday,  also added that all projects initiated by his administration would be duly completed and commissioned before the end of his tenure.

He noted that his administration since inception, has been proactive in addressing attracted projects in the institution, adding that the results have been the springing up of new structures in every nook and cranny of the university. 

 ‘’It is a thing of joy to be associated with this type of thing happening in this university today, that is the laying of foundation of Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy, ACE-SPED. I didn’t know that this kind of opportunity would come. I thank Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Director of ACE-SPED for his doggedness and resilient in the pursuit and actualization of the project.

” And since this job commenced, I want it to go the way of Igwe’s administration, where projects are started and completed within its duration. This is why you can see new buildings here and there since I assumed office as the vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka,” he said.

While urging the contractor of the project to do quality job, the vice chancellor enjoined members of the university community to begin to look at something that would benefit the institution as a whole rather than personal interest.

The Director, Prof. Ejiogu in his remarks pointed out that the project is one of the 17 centres in Nigeria sponsored by the World Bank, adding that the project is as a result of a call for proposal by the World Bank through the Association of African Universities Commission, AUC, in 2018.

He described the project as a milestone in the annals of the university, saying it came after rigorous processes that saw the institution as one of the best among the over 130 proposals from different universities that went through the AUC, to the World Bank for shortlisting.

‘’ACE-SPED project is borne out of rigorous processes and which the World Bank insisted should be so. it is one of the 17 centres in Nigeria that is sponsored by the World Bank and in some cases, by the French Development Bank.

“The aim is to promote research, not just for national development but also for regional development. The selection of the beneficiaries of ACE-SPED project was free and fair and we believe that UNN is of World standard,” he said.

Prof. Ejiogu disclosed that about 35 foreign students have been enrolled into the Centre from West and East Africa sub-regions to carry out their Post Graduate Diploma, Masters and Ph.D  in the nine programmes currently being studied in the Centre.

He commended the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Igwe for his undiluted support on the project, starting from conception to the official laying of its foundation.

He assured the Vice Chancellor and the university community that the project ‘’is not going to be abandoned’’, stressing that the construction work would be accelerated to meet up with its agreed duration.

This was as the Contractor, Ivory Link Intl Limited, represented by the site Engineer, Roland Mbaitessem,  pledged that the project which contract agreement is 10 months, would be completed by March 2024, noting that quality and durability of the job should be their watchwords.

The Environmental and Social Safety officer and World Bank representatives for ACE-SPED project, Engr. Muncho Josephine Mbunwe in a chat, told news men that she is satisfied with the work going on in the site, saying ‘’with the level of work so far, I am convinced that the contractor will complete the project within the specified time.”

The foundation laying ceremony attracted who is who in the university community, including an Emeritus Professor in the institution and one-time Commissioner in the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Prof. Ossy Onwuamaeze Iloeje, among others.