Uchechukwu Nnaike
The Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Alumni Association, Lagos chapter has launched a N100 million appeal fund for the upgrading and renovation of the university’s health centre.
At a well-attended fundraising and awards dinner in Lagos, the Chairman of the association, Mr. Chris Iyere decried the preventable deaths and loss of lives in the university community as a result of the poor state of the health centre on campus.
He said a visit to the health centre revealed that the facility is operating with obsolete equipment, some dating back to the 80s when the facility was established. “It is appalling that students are still dying due to common malaria as there is no modern diagnostic equipment for proper test; the building is in shambles, no beddings in the wards. It calls for serious introspection and action,” Iyere said.
He therefore urged the alumni of the university to donate generously to the fund.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the university Governing Council, Chief Lawson Omokhodion commended members of the Lagos chapter for their decision to give back to the university that made them what they are today by raising funds for the upgrade of the health centre and building of an e-learning centre and other projects in the university.
Omokhodion, who was represented by Mr. Osezua Abhulimen, an alumnus of AAU, said the new governing council inaugurated in October 2018, has been tackling the problems of dearth of infrastructure in the university, wrong deployment of academic faculty, deficient international linkages, inadequate funding of the university, among other challenges.
He specifically commended the visitor to the university, Governor Godwin Obaseki for supporting the council to turn around the fortunes of the university.
Omokhodion listed some of the progress made by the university under the present governing council to include the inauguration of four massive buildings funded by TETFund in November at the cost of N4 billion.
He added that the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has pledged to build two 500-room hostel for male and female students during the last convocation of the university to help reduce the problem of accommodation of students in the university.
The pro-chancellor commended some alumni of the university such as the founder of Christ Embassy Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA for their contributions to the growth of the university.
Notable alumni were given awards for distinguished career and humanitarian services. They included Mr. Sylva Ogwemoh, the first graduate of the university to be made Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN); Mr. Frank Egboh, a legal practitioner and immediate past Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of AAU alumni association; Dr. Clifford Omozekhian, Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, among others.
