Okeudo’s Two Years At ABSU: Reforms, Infrastructure Gains, Work Ahead

When Professor Ndukwe James Okeudo arrived at Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, on 1 November 2024, he discovered a college battling issues that touched virtually each side of campus life. Overgrown grass coated elements of the campus, workers wage arrears remained excellent, pupil hostels had fallen into disrepair, and the college had been disconnected from public electrical energy and its reliable water provide.

Two years later, as he prepares to depart workplace, the college is in a significantly better place. His account of the journey, delivered at a valedictory Senate assembly on 28 October 2026, presents a tenure marked by administrative reforms, renewed consideration to tutorial requirements and a considerable programme of infrastructure growth, a lot of it supported by the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti.

His departure affords a possibility to evaluate not simply the enhancements achieved, but additionally the tasks nonetheless underneath manner and the challenges that may confront his successor.

Prof. Okeudo assumed workplace after what he described in his valedictory deal with as an unfavourable visitation panel report and white paper. He was appointed by Governor Alex Otti, the college’s Visitor, with a transparent mandate to place issues so as.

The activity was appreciable. The college’s difficulties didn’t start with any single administration. Rather, insufficient funding, a persistent problem throughout Nigeria’s public college system, was a serious constraint on institutional growth.

When Prof. Okeudo arrived as Vice-Chancellor, elements of the campus have been overgrown with tall grass. The college was additionally coping with 11 months of unpaid salaries, which the federal government was settling in instalments.

Some workers recruited in 2023 had been disengaged, though many continued working on the establishment for greater than a 12 months afterwards. The Vice-Chancellor pleaded for his or her reinstatement however was knowledgeable that the matter had been closed.

The college was additionally contending with the lack of public electrical energy and its water provide from the Igwii River. Without reliable operating water, the hostels deteriorated additional, whereas the shortage of enough funding affected routine operations.

These issues weren’t merely questions of look. They had implications for workers welfare, college students’ dwelling situations, safety and the college’s capacity to maintain an appropriate tutorial atmosphere.

Much credit score goes to the state authorities underneath Dr Otti for serving to to deal with a number of of those difficulties. In specific, the cost of wage arrears, a rise in emoluments via the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), the rehabilitation of hostels and the development of recent amenities have been all made doable by the federal government.

The intervention has prolonged past particular person buildings to roads, electrical energy infrastructure, water provide, tutorial amenities and different facilities.

Student lodging is likely one of the most outstanding areas of intervention.

The state authorities is developing female and male hostel complexes, every deliberate as a three-phase growth comprising six blocks. Each undertaking has a deliberate capability of 5,000 beds.

The first section of the male hostel undertaking consists of two blocks with a mixed capability of 1,668 mattress areas. Construction had progressed considerably. The feminine hostel undertaking is following the same design. These tasks reply to strain on present lodging arising from the college’s rising pupil inhabitants.

Existing lodging has additionally acquired consideration. Hostels A and B, each male hostels, and Hostel C, a feminine hostel, have undergone rehabilitation and upgrading. Years of neglect had left the amenities in poor situation and decreased their working capability to between 35 and 40 per cent of their designed capability.

The rehabilitation was meant to revive their usability and enhance dwelling situations for college students.

Another vital growth is the completion of the second college pavilion or grandstand. It was accomplished inside three months.

The college can be pursuing the completion of an NDDC hostel that had remained deserted for about 20 years. Work in the direction of resolving the undertaking has concerned contract evaluations, structural integrity exams, design evaluations and negotiations. This effort is a part of the federal government’s resolve to carry the power to completion.

The Faculty of Law constructing is one other main undertaking underneath building. Designed to incorporate a 1,000-capacity lecture theatre and a library, the power is meant to develop the college’s educating infrastructure.

A contemporary cafeteria can be underneath building, with plans for meals courts and different industrial actions to assist the campus financial system. The undertaking has reached roof degree.

Road building has been one other seen a part of the programme. Six dust roads have been being reconstructed as tarred roads to enhance entry to amenities developed past the unique campus circulation community.

Roads resulting in Hostel C, the cafeteria, the Ogah Family Auditorium and the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, in addition to entry roads serving different hostels and amenities, are being constructed.

Electricity and safety have additionally featured within the intervention. Three new transformers have been provided and put in as a part of efforts to reconnect the college to the nationwide grid and improve its energy infrastructure. Solar-powered streetlights have been put in throughout elements of the campus and alongside the Uturu campus highway.

The streetlights are meant to enhance visibility at evening and strengthen safety. Meanwhile, the college has begun landscaping and environmental enchancment work, together with planting grass and shrubs and enhancing waste administration.

Water provide stays an vital concern. The college put in boreholes fitted with solar-powered pumps as an interim measure, whereas a second section centered on reactivating the distant Igwii waterworks was underneath manner. A geotechnical survey had discovered the aquifer beneath the campus too low to adequately assist the college group, making the restoration of the waterworks significantly vital.