By Ige Adekunle
The Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, has appealed to the federal government to extend intervention funds to private universities in the country.
This, he said, would make the private universities contribute their quota to national development.
Ojediran made the appeal at a press briefing on Wednesday in Ota, Ogun, ahead of the institution’s 14th convocation.
He listed areas where the federal government could assist private universities to include research grants, training of staff, provision of infrastructure, among others.
The VC noted that private universities were also contributing meaningfully to national development, adding that they were stakeholders in advancing human capital development initiatives.
“There is need for the federal government to invest in human capital development in order to have an orderly and educated society.
“In addition, the intervention would also help the private universities to produce quality research,” he said.
The VC noted that private universities had contributed immensely to the human capacity of development of Nigerians, and that products of private universities were making Nigeria proud all over the world.
Ojediran reiterated the commitment of Bells University towards research activities in order to achieve sustainable development in the country.
He said the institution had achieved milestones, having commenced operation with 51 students in 2005, attaining 3,600 carrying capacity against the approved 5,000 by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Ojediran said the institution was ranked 13th best private university, and among the 20 top universities in Nigeria by ranking bodies.
The VC urged the federal government to honour its agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), so as to reduce incessant strikes in tertiary institutions. (NAN)
