By Daniel Tyokua
The Abuja chapter of the University of Calabar ( Unical) Alumni Association said it needs two hundred million US dollars to support the institution in providing additional hostels accomodation.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the Chairperson, End-of-Year (2023) Awards/Dinner Planning Committee of the Association, Dr Chioma Uzo-Udegbunam said the Association will also honour 27 persons for their outstanding contribution to the chapter.
She said the amount, if provided will assist the alumni give back to its alma mater through building of more hostels especially for female students, with other projects.
The chairperson who is also Head of administration, audit department, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), explained that the essence of alumni is to provide support for alma mater.
According to her, “The essence of an alumini is to give back to the alma mater, about eight years ago we went to the University and we discovered that we had hall A& 9, and there was no addition for female hostels, we said the Alumini then, we want to undertake and build a hostels for the ladies. This time around, from the money we are going to raise, we will go back to the school and understudy areas that need urgent attention.
“We will work together with the University authority to know their challenges and know where to intervein.The university is in dire need of almost everything.
“We need $200m for us to get it right in that University, the school has been in the news for obvious reasons, the Abuja chapter will support in its own way”
On those to be awarded, Dr Chioma said the Abuja chapter is set to award the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu and Senator Uche Ekwunife and 24 others.
She disclosed that some awardees, include ranking police officers, senior civil servants and other distinguished personalities for the award, scheduled to hold Thursday, December 14, 2023 in Abuja.
The chairperson said the awardees are in three categories; the Malabites and the Malabresses, who are graduates of the university, as well as friends of the university.
Uzo-Udegbunam explained that the awardees were selected because they have worked tirelessly over the years to ensure that the University of Calabar (Unical), Alumni Association, Abuja chapter continues to exist, despite all odds.
According to her, “There have been so many people that finished from the University of Calabar, and they have done a lot of things for the university, especially for the alumni association, Abuja chapter.
Collaborating, the vice chairman, Unical Alumni Association, Abuja chapter, Mrs. Bassey Emmanuel Ntuk, said this year’s awards/dinner ceremony is significant because, apart from coming together to interact with old students of the university, the ceremony is also an opportunity for Malabites and Malabresses to ganner ideas on how to assist the school in one way or the other
