UNICAL’s 36th Convocation will Go On In spite of SSANU And NASU Strike – VC

By Nelson Utip

Professor Florence Banku Obi ,The Vice-Chancellor (VC) of University of Calabar says that the nationwide strike by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will not affect the 36th convocation of the institution, adding that about 8,415 students will be graduating at its 36th convocation. with over 32 of them will be conferred with first-class degrees, while 438 others will be conferred with PhD and 754 will be conferred with master’s degrees.

The VC stated this at a news conference to announce activities lined up for the ceremony on Monday in Calabar, she further said that her administration had instituted staff meritorious awards last year with 143 staff members honoured this year to motivate them to do more

According to Professor Obi, there will be a convocation lecture on Thursday, March 21, and His Lordship Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Archdiocese will be the guest Speaker with the topic “Harmonising Diversity for National Development,” this will be followed by a command performance in honour of the Chancellor, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and the guest Speaker.

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The Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, along with several TETFUND staff, will be on hand to commission five projects on Saturday, March 23. The projects that will be commissioned are mainly TETFUND projects, including 3 pavilions and 2 hostels.

“We also have 3 distinguished Nigerians that we will be honouring with honorary doctorate degrees on that day. They are Dame Winifred Akpani, CEO of Northwest Petroleum and Gas Limited, Chief Dr Anyanwu Ugochukwu of DCL Laboratory, and Bamijokotola Abike Johnson of the Trustee Ecogreen Foundation.”She said.