University of Jos - Nigeria
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Jos, Prince Tony Momoh has charged Members of Council to evolved strategies that would ensure more funds are attracted to the University for its developmental Projects.
Prince Momoh was speaking during the opening of a Two-Day Retreat for members of the 13th Governing Council of the University at the HBC Resort, Kwata, Vom Road, Bukuru with the theme ‘’Effective Fund Raising for Institutional Advancement”. Prince Momoh said the maiden Retreat of the Governing Council was aimed at appraising the happenings, challenges and the performance of Council Members in the past one year, with a view towards brainstorming, strategizing, evaluating and possibly attracting developmental projects and funds to the University.
The Pro-Chancellor urged Council Members to develop and deploy elaborate and implementable strategic action Plans meant to attract funds from various sources for the swift completion of on-going projects and the implementation of new ones.
Prince Momoh assured that Council would assist Management of the University in improving its efforts to generate and judiciously use Internally Generated Revenue by rekindling their entrepreneurial initiatives and linking them up with Industry, Commerce and International Organizations.
The Chairman of Council used the occasion to advise Management to continue to synergize towards the production of high level manpower for the socio economic development of the Nation, in line with the University’s core mandate of Teaching, Research and Community Service.
He also advised Council Members to deliberately ensure that they do not encroach on the powers and responsibilities of other segments of the University, but should carefully and strictly maintain cordial relationship with all the governing units of the University.
According to Momoh, the major issues to be addressed by Council during the Retreat are funding, infrastructural development, poaching of skilled manpower by other Universities and the issue of Students and Staff Union Strikes among others.
In a welcome remark, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako, said one of the greatest challenges of public higher institutions is funding. According to him, the University Management is left with no choice but to source for funds to complement government’s funding in managing the University.
Professor Maimako appreciated all government agencies in charge of higher Institutions for their interventions particularly the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and the Presidential NEEDS Assessment Programme.
The Vice-Chancellor appreciated the concern and the leadership qualities demonstrated by the Chairman of Council, and urged Council Members to work together and strategize towards attracting developmental funds to the University.
In a paper Presentation, Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Administration), Professor Teresa Nmadu, said the University’s Strategic Plans had not been hundred percent successful over the years largely due to challenges of inadequate funding, inadequate facilities, lack of skilled manpower, unstable School Calendar and Power shortage among other constraints.
The paper entitled ‘’Vision, Mission and Core Values of Unijos: Historical Review of Successes and Challenges” explained that the University has so far developed and reviewed four Strategic Plan Circles 1998-2003, 2004-2008, 2009-2014 and 2015-2019. Professor Nmadu noted that the plans were geared towards pursuing excellence in Teaching, Research and Community Service in line with the University’s vision of becoming a globally rated University which provides an excellent educational experience with high impact on society.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Advancement Office, Mr. Yakubu Gomos, said the Retreat was organized by his office and was aimed at exploring positive ways of raising funds for developmental projects in the University.