NDU Holds 5th Convocation Ceremony on Saturday With 15,811 Graduands

  By Magens Inegba

   About 15,811 graduands of the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma in Bayelsa State would be conferred with various degrees at its 5^th convocation ceremony on Saturday.

Prof. Samuel G. Edoumiekumo, NDU VC

  This was made known by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Samuel G. Edoumiekumo during a pre-convocation press conference at Amassoma as part of the activities marking the event.

  According to the VC of this figure 619 would be conferred with Post graduate Degrees, and in the same Post Graduate Degrees, he said 15 graduands among them are PhDs, 145 are Masters Degrees while 459 graduands are Post Graduate Diplomas (PGDs).

  Speaking further, he stated that the remaining figure of 15,192 graduands are for the first degrees categories where 91 among them have made first class, then Second Class Upper and Lower Division; and the third class while 244 graduands would be conferred with Pass Degrees.

   The VC said that the ceremony would be a combined convocation of students who graduated during the last five academic sessions of the University; 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018 and 2018/2019.

   Prof. Edoumiekumo who highlighted the significance of the event, pointed out that it is only when graduation ceremony are conducted that Degrees awarded become very official, noting that since their graduation only statement of results were issued to graduands.

   The VC described the high level of the enviable performance of the University since his inception to office as exceptional, restated his commitment, management and students to continue to work assiduously and selflessly through prudent management of resources with utmost transparency, probity and accountability with integrity and resourcefulness to see that the University is highly respected and reckoned as one of the best in the whole world.

  “Why I’m saying this? I’m saying this because our programmes are highly rated. Recently, an Electrical Engineering Students made us proud. Out of 4,000 Universities, they were part of the First One Thousand; and by the time they scale down to Nigeria, NDU Electrical and Electronic Engineering Programme was rated number three (3) in Nigeria.

  And that is to say that we are doing exactly what the Law mandated us to do. Ours is to basically produce quality manpower; students that would graduate from this place will have creative and innovative mind. And that is what we are doing,” he stated.

  Under his good leadership, Prof. Edoumiekumo has said that the University has embarked on so many programmes including the provision of basic infrastructures that has made it so distinct and self-reliance from other universities in academics, research and development.

  According to him, NDU is the only University in Nigeria that provides uninterrupted power supply for 20 hours on daily basis aside from the National Grid.

   He said the University produces most of its needs internally without purchasing any outside because he believes that as a University, supposed to produce its needs.

  The University VC thanked God for given them the wisdom to do all it can to transforming the University to an enviable greater height.

  Some of the items the University produce internally according to the VC include File cabinets, beds, paints, water (NDU Water) and detergents such as Izeal, dettol, Liquid soap, car wash and also mosquito repellant cream amongst others.

  He also unfolded that the institution has 14 faculties with 70 Degree awarding programmes fully accredited.

  Prof. Edoumiekumo lamented that the N350 Million Monthly subvention by the State Government is grossly inadequate to even pay worker’s salaries, thus making the institution to go on borrowing.

  He commended some funding agencies in the country for coming into the aid of the University owing to its prudent management of resources, thus being able to embark on its programmes.

  The VC also used the forum to debunk rumours that he used Government subvention to purchase vehicles at the expense of paying workers their December salaries.

  Asserting emphatically that the rumours are spurious and unfounded, the VC said the institution purchase 40 vehicles from its internally generated revenue for principal officers.

   “We bought 40 vehicles for principal officers but there was rumour that we use the Government subvention to purchase vehicles at the expense of paying workers December salaries.”