The National President of All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje has commended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for attracting a grant of 6 million dollars from the World Bank to help solve energy challenges in sub-saharan Africa.
Ganduje made the commendation in Nsukka on Thursday during the grand opening of Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), Core Building in UNN.
He described Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, the Director of ACE-SPED in UNN, and his team who attracted the grant as exceptional for attracting such huge money from 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 hight in the service of his father land.
“Not only that Prof. Ejiogu and his the team won the grant, he has in few years of his leadership obtained another grant of over 500,000 dollars, anchored to this project.
“More of such projects from people like him with great ideas are needed to reposition our nation for the betterment of the citizens,” he said.
Ganduje, who was represented by Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, former Governor of Zamfara State, expressed happiness that UNN is keying into the vision of President Bola Tinubu to provide energy sufficiency for homes and businesses for the economic growth and well-being of the citizenry.
In a remark, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of 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 am optimistic that, the director ACE-SPED and his team will help the university to solve the problem of electricity challenges in UNN which will help to reduce the huge amount of money paid as electricity bill monthly to public power provider,” he said.
Speaking, 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 gathered here today not only to celebrate the state-of-the-art facilities, but also to honour the vision, hardwork and dedication that have made to ensure that the centre lived up to its mandate.
“As many of 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 achievements in attracting the grant, as well as siting 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.
“We are optimistic that this multi-million naira project will go a long way in solving power challenges in the university in no distance time,” he said.
Earlier in a remark, Ejiogu said alongside the opening of the centre’s core building, that several world-class facilities that will elevate the centre’s research that are 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 explained that the centre would through its programmes award certificates on Master of Engineering, Master of Science and PhD on Renewable New Energy System, Power Engineering, Sustainable Energy Material Engineering, Industrial Electronics Devices,
Others are on Control Instrumentation Engineering, Energy Policy, Regulation and Management. Engineering Design and Product Development. Management of Technology and Innovation, among others, 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 word at large,” he said.
Ejiogu commended in a especial way, World Bank and ADF for the confidence they reposed in him for awarding him the grant, as well as the NUC, Federal Ministry of Education, UNN Management among others who contributed in one way or the other for their supports to the centre.
In an interview wiith our Correspondent, one of the Master degree students on Control and Instrumentation Engineering from Sierra Leone, expressed happiness for gaining a scholarship admission into the centre..
Swarray, who said he is working in the Power Sector in his country said that he would use knowledge acquired from the centre to help in solving energy challenges in his county.
