The Alumni Association of the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH) has raised alarm that the institution may totally lose its accreditation over the alleged refusal of the State government to fund the process.
President of the alumni association, Comrade Eyam Abeng, who spoke on the matter, appealed to Governor Ben Ayade to release fund for the University, noting that the University was expecting accreditation team from National University Commission (NUC) next month.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday, he said releasing of fund for the University would prevent the University from being shut down.
This is also as Abeng disclosed that the loan taken for last accreditation by the university had not been cleared.
He further revealed that the accreditation had been postponed twice due to paucity of funds, adding that the last one was at the instance of the Governor who promised early release of funds to allow the university prepare but had now reneged on his promise as no fund was released less than three weeks to the exercise.
The President said that “15 out of about 28 undergraduate programmes will be undergoing NUC accreditation by April 2018 and at this point, the Visitor to the University and Governor of Cross River State has not released a dime to the University.
“The accreditation has been rescheduled twice and the second time was on the instance of the Governor. These 15 programmes cut across multiple faculties except the faculty of communication Technology.”
Some of the affected departments are Physiology, Biochemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical/ Electronic Engineering, Chemistry, Architecture, Physics etc.
“Should the university fail the accreditation, it will spell doom to the University as graduates of such departments will not proceed on NYSC and their certificates not recognized.
“We are calling on the good people of Cross River State to prevail on the Governor to do the needful as Education is the true bedrock of sustainable development and growth of any society.
“The last accreditation was carried out on a loan which is yet to be paid in full. Our appeal is that the Governor who is a Professor should not neglect education, the only antidote to poverty,” he said.
He disclosed that N250million was needed for the accreditation, adding that “CRUTECH is the gate way to the hearts and minds of Cross Riverians.”
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