The Vice Chancellor Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, Prof. Francis Otunta, has renewed call for the University's take-off grant to be released to her.
He said the the fund if released would help the University to address intrastructural deficit and possibly bring the developments of its permanent site.
Otunta spoke on Tuesday on the University campus while addressing the 9th pre-convocation press conference.
He lamented that state of the University's infrastructure and physical facilities was hindering its commitment to provide quality education.
The VC appealed to the public and private sector to come to the University's aid.
He said, "There is a crying need for significant infusion of funds for the upgrade of our physical environment, especially when it is realized that this University is among those Universities that started with the disadvantage of not having a take-off grant from the Federal Government.
"Our internal roads are failing as a result of increased population on campus and the use of heavy vehicular equipment".
He pointed out that true progress in Agriculture can only be made if food processing industries for utilization of farm products, are set up to minimize waste and preserve longevity of food.
"It therefore behooves Universities of Agriculture (including MOUAU) and Agriculture research institutes to double their efforts and work tirelessly to ensure the availability of requisite skills for adequate utilization of local agriculture raw materials in the processing industries, as well as substitution of numerous imported raw input for agro-based industries", he added.
He hinted that the University will award Bachelor's degree 6,214 graduants, while 160 would be awarded postgraduate diplomas.
Other as 507 graduants who would receive their Masters degree certificate and 144 Doctorate candidate would be awarded their.
He added honary Doctorate degree of the University would be given to some eminent Nigerians during the convocation ceremony on Saturday.
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