Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo and acclaimed economist, Prof Akpan Horgan Ekpo, along with other distinguished Nigerians, will be conferred with Professor Emeritus of the institution at the combined 29th and 30th convocation ceremony billed to hold on Friday, November 9 and Saturday November 10 respectively .
Others to be honoured are Chief Effiong Daniel, Mrs Halima Suleiman Zakaria and Dr. Itanwan It’s James, while another ex-Vice Chancellor of the institution Professor Enefiok Effiong Essien with other eminent scholars will receive distinguished honorary degrees .
Speaking at a pre-convocation press briefing in Uyo, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo said the graduation ceremony covers 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 sessions with each set recording a total number of 5, 004 and 6, 279 graduating students respectively.
A breakdown of the figures of the graduating students shows a leap from last year’s convocation with 56 graduating students in 2020/2021 and 118 students in 2021/2022 sessions bagging First Class Degrees.
Others are: PhD 313, Masters’ Degree 608 and Post- Graduate Diploma 246, while Second Class (Upper Division) under the Bachelors Degree programme in the 2020/2021 set stands at 1, 737; Second Class (Lower Division) 2, 336; Third Class 412; Ordinary Pass 282 while the Diploma programme produced 176 and Certificate Courses five graduates culminating in 5,004 sub- total.
Similarly, the 2022/2023 session had a total 6, 012 graduates with Bachelor’s Degree out of which 2, 306 had Second Class (Upper Division) and 2, 895 Second Class (Lower Division), 481 Third Class and 212 Ordinary Passes, while Diploma and Certificates stood at 235 and 32 respectively.
Prof Ndaeyo recounted the development strides the institution has recorded under his watch to include 90 per cent full accreditation of academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), adding that the remaining 10 percent constitutes the newly unbundled programmes undergoing resources verification and accreditations.
He disclosed that the institution currently runs a total of 100 programmes in 117 departments under 19 Faculties, while others are awaiting accreditation by the NUC.
The VC maintained that the existing peaceful coexistence between the management, staff and students is the result of the deliberate efforts of the management, through effective welfare packages and close relationship with the university’s host communities .
“This, in a way, has led to relative peace in the university. My administration is determined, by the grace of God, to ensure that staff are promoted as at when due.”
