Delta State University (DELSU) Abraka’s vice chancellor, Prof. Samuel Asagba, estimates that the university spends roughly N720 million a year on electricity.
Asagba, the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of DELSU, made this known during the university’s 17th Convocation Press Conference, held at the institution’s campus in Abraka on Wednesday.
He said that the university spent about N50 million monthly on diesel to run the institution’s generating plants.
The VC said that his administration would address the huge cost by exploring other alternative sources of power supply, such as solar energy and hydropower, through private partnership investors.
“We spend N60 million monthly on electricity, we also spend about N50 million monthly on diesel, so cumulatively, we spend about N110 million monthly on electricity, this we have to address.
“Beyond electricity, a comprehensive and integrated water supply system for Site Three will be developed. There will be construction and maintenance of the internal road network.
“We will vigorously ensure compliance with the master plan of the university,” he said.
Asagba said that the university was exploring other avenues to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), noting that the most demanding challenge in the overall scheme of the university was the issue of funding.
According to him, without proper funding, it will be difficult to realise the vision of the university.
He said that DELSU would implement the financial policies of the University Council and ensure that the institution’s resources were used in ways that would most effectively advance the approved vision, mission, and strategic plans of the university.
“To achieve the goals, DELSU Investment Ltd., in consultation with the Chairman of the Board, will be overhauled. The university’s printing press will be upgraded to a publishing house.
“Scope for the Centre for Open and Distance Learning will be expanded to cover many departments of the university. Quotas for the admission of undergraduates will be raised for courses that are highly sought after.
“Investors will be engaged in a public-private partnership arrangement. National and multinational companies will be wooed and partnered for the development of the university,” the VC said.
He said that the institution’s management would improve the prioritisation of the university’s ICT infrastructure to enable it to compete globally.
Asagba also said that sustained measures would be put in place to improve the quality of graduate and postgraduate students through closed monitoring to guarantee their employability.
He said that the university would be properly connected to the world through the commonwealth’s multifarious schemes, covering short-term and long-term sponsorship of staff and students.
Asagba said that the university would provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses within the Abraka community as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He, however, said that staff welfare remained top priority in his administration, adding that it would not be compromised.
