UniCross VC Visits C’River Nass APC CAUCUS

 

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State, UniCross, Prof. Francisca Bassey, on Thursday February 13, 2025 visited Sen. Eteng Williams representing Cross River Central Senatorial district. 

Announcing the visit in a statement, the President of the University Alumni association, Dr. Inyali Peter who was part of the VC’s entourage said that the visit to the leader of Cross River APC CAUCUS in the National Assembly was to explore opportunities for attracting funding and projects to the university.

“Yesterday, I had the privilege of accompanying the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State to a strategic meeting with Sen. Eteng Jones Williams, representing Cross River Central senatorial district and leader of Cross River APC CAUCUS in the National Assembly. The meeting aimed to explore opportunities for attracting funding and projects to the university through National Assembly members.

I must commend the Acting VC's exceptional work ethic and dedication to advancing the university's interests. Despite attending the committee of Vice Chancellors meeting in Abuja, she chose to utilize her time further, ensuring a productive meeting with the senator. Our discussion yielded tangible actions, paving the way for the university to benefit from our lawmakers' support”, Inyali said in parts. 

He added that, “the university has a history of benefiting from National Assembly members' contributions. For instance, Governor Bassey Otu facilitated the construction of our state-of-the-art administrative building during his tenure as Senator. Similarly, Sen. Rose Oko secured N150 million in funding for a specific project in Okuku campus.

Also, Sen. John Owan Enoh facilitated funding for project worth millions of Naira in Obubra campus as a lawmaker. As Minister, he has also initiated project for the institution which is currently in the pipeline. Already, he has dispatched a team from his ministry to access the state of the university’s ICT for intervention.

The current VC's recognition of the importance of engaging our leaders to support the university is commendable. Already, her interaction with the Minister yielded immediate results as the Minister’s team to assess the university’s ICT strength was sent just days after her visit. Similarly, her interaction with the National Assembly members is producing great results as well.” 

VC and management staff with the Bank of Industry and NUC staff sent by the Honourable Minister of Industry to access the state of UniCross ICT for intervention

The alumni President maintained that “the association under my leadership has consistently emphasized the need for improved funding, particularly to address staff and students’ welfare. While we keep urging the state government to increase funding for the institution, we have also been pushing and writing to leaders to support the university particularly in the area of infrastructure. With the efforts of the current VC in this regard, the alumni association has found a worthy partner in progress and is already seeing its efforts yielding tangible results. 

Undoubtedly, UniCross has produced a substantial workforce for the state, including engineers, journalists, etc who outnumber those in the state before the university's establishment. Therefore, we appeal to our leaders, alumni, and all well-meaning Cross Riverians to support the university, both privately and officially because its growth rests on collective efforts.”