From IKECHUKWU NNADI, Nsukka
Delighted by the unprecedented level of commitment towards energy generation at the University of Nigeria Nsukka  (UNN), the National President of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje has commended the university’s Vice Chancellor over the institution’s $6 million grant from the World Bank to help to solve energy challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ganduje made the commendation in Nsukka yesterday – Saturday, December 21 – during the grand opening of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), Core Building, UNN.
He described Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, the Director of the ACE-SPED, as exceptional for attracting a grant of such a magnitude from the World Bank to the university.
“I commend the vision and leadership provided by the ACE-SPED director as exceptional and encourage him to aspire more to greater heights in the service of his fatherland.
“Not only did Prof. Ejiogu lead the team that won the grant for UNN, he has over the few years of his leadership obtained further grants of over 500,000 dollars, anchored to this major project.
“More such projects from people like him with great ideas are needed to reposition our nation for the betterment of the citizens,” the former Kano State Governor said.
Ganduje, who was represented by Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, former Governor of Zamfara State, expressed happiness that UNN is keying into the vision of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to provide energy sufficiency for homes and businesses for the economic growth and well-being of the citizens of the country.
Speaking, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the UNN Governing Council expressed happiness that the centre’s mandate captured the energy challenge the university, the country and the entire sub-Saharan Africa are currently facing.
“I’m optimistic that the director ACE-SPED and his team will help the university to solve the power crisis in UNN, which will help to reduce the huge amount of money paid as electricity bills to public power providers,” he said.
In his remarks, Prof. Polycarp Chigbu, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNN said the grand opening of the ACE-SPED core building marked a significant milestone in the success story of the centre.
“We are gathered here today not only to celebrate the state-of-the-art facility but also to honour the vision, hard work and dedication that have gone into ensuring that the centre is living up to its mandate.
“As many of you would know, ACE-SPED is a key project under the funding of the World Bank and Agence Francaise de Development (ADF), with a mandate to develop quality human capital that will drive sustainable energy solutions across sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.
The Acting VC commended the director of the centre and his team for their remarkable achievement in attracting the grant, as well as citing the project in UNN.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the management of ACE-SPED, under the able leadership of Prof. Ejiogu, for the remarkable achievements in bringing this project to fruition.
“UNN is optimistic that this multi-million naira project will go a long way in solving power challenges in the university in no distant time,” Chigbu said.
Earlier in his own remarks, Ejiogu said alongside the opening of the centre’s core building, that several world-class facilities that will elevate the centre’s research billed for commissioning include the Ultra-High Tech Material Characterization Lab, The 3D Electronic Prototype Lab, and the Centre for Competence in Digital Education (C-CoDE), among others.
He noted that the centre would, through its programmes, award certificates in Master of Engineering, Master of Science and PhD in Renewable New Energy System, Power Engineering, Sustainable Energy Material Engineering, Industrial Electronics Devices.
Certificates in Control Instrumentation Engineering, Energy Policy, Regulation and Management, Engineering Design and Product Development, Management of Technology and Innovation, among others, would also be awarded, he said, adding that all their programmes have been accredited by the
National University Commission.
“Since its inception, ACE-SPED has produced 32 Masters graduates, many of whom are regional students from across sub-Saharan Africa.
“At ACE-SPED, we are deeply committed to advancing the global energy transition; we will play a central role in shaping a sustainable energy future that benefits our immediate environment, our country, sub-Saharan Africa and the world at large,” he said.
Ejiogu commended the World Bank and ADF for the confidence they reposed in him by approving the grant, as well as the NUC, the UNN Management, staff and students of the centre for their contributions to the achievements of the centre so far.
In an interview, one of the students of the centre, Alpha Swarray, a Control and Instrumental Engineering Master’s Degree student from Sierra Leone, expressed his happiness at gaining a scholarship admission to the centre.
Swarray, who said that he is working in the power sector in his country, noted that the knowledge he will acquire will help Sierra Leone in solving their energy crisis.
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