Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State during the maiden matriculation ceremony of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, on 22 April, addressed the pioneer students in his capacity as founder and pioneer Visitor to the medical university.
During governor Ugwuanyi’s speech at the first SUMAS Matriculation ceremony, he disclosed that his administration conceived the founding of the budding specialized university to provide more opportunities for all desiring youths in the country especially the youthful citizens of Enugu State to gain training in their chosen professional disciplines.
The governor equally stated the challenges which numerous youths in Enugu state face gaining admission into tertiary institutions especially professional and competitive courses like, Medicine, pharmacy, Engineering,Law, Applied health sciences and others.
He noted that thousands of well qualified candidates are left stranded without admission in the country due to social economic challenges
Ugwuanyi opined that it was as a result of the shortage of health personnel in Enugu State and across the country as well and the fact that most professionals are leaving the country that his administration decided to establish another state owned university with a specialized brief on professional disciplines.
“As the records indicate, every year, thousands of candidates apply to study Medicine and Allied Health Sciences in the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) respectively but a total of less than one thousand are given admission into these programmes in both institutions.
“This leaves several thousands of well qualified candidates stranded without admission. The socio-economic implication of this is better imagined,” the governor said.
The governor congratulated the “lucky pioneer students” including their parents and sponsors for their historic achievement of being admitted into the brand-new university, noting that his administration had invested a lot and had provided all the needed infrastructure for the smooth take off of the university.
The founder of SUMAS noted that, “ There are six faculty buildings each with eight to 12 huge classrooms, laboratories and 36 offices. Adding that there are two completed hostels each with 450 bed spaces ( one for male and one for female), a medical centre that is well equipped to even provide tertiary medical services, the solar powered streetlights, and a teaching hospital which has reached an advanced stage.
He therefore, expressed optimism that with the facilities already provided and the crop of management staff chosen, the medical university will grow to be among the top universities in the country.
Governor Ugwuanyi went further to disclose that provisions for sustainable funding of the new university had been made, stating that “this is to put a safe guard against the consequences of producing poorly trained medical and allied personnel to serve the society.”
Prof. James Chukwuma Ogbonna, the vice chancellor of SUMAS thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for his vision and passion for human resource development that led to the establishment of the university.
The VC affirms that the governor’s investment in the medical university will contribute in restructuring the shortage of manpower in Medical and Allied Health Sciences as “it has already created employment opportunities for our people
Ogbonna noted that the first set of 789 students had been admitted into the 23 programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC), spread into six faculties, the Vice Chancellor congratulated the matriculants, their parents and guardians, and urged the students to exhibit high sense of discipline and seriousness by attending lectures, studying very hard and participating in all the academic activities, etc.
Ogbonna equally appreciated the Governor-elect of the state, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah who was ably represented at the ceremony by the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Dan Shere, and his Deputy, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai “for the great interest you have shown in this university, saying: “Your presence today assures us that you share the same dream with His Excellency and that you will continue to support SUMAS to attain greater heights.”
Dignitaries at the event include the Chairman, Project Implementation Committee, SUMAS, Prof. Val. O Ekechukwu; wife of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Christiana Ogbonna, Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Prof. Aloy Okolie; the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Johnson Urama, Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Enugu, Prof. Malachy Okwueze; the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. David Ugwunta; other members of the State Executive Council (EXCO) and the House of Assembly Member-elect for Igbo-Eze North II Constituency, Hon. Clifford Obe.
Others were the Registrar of SUMAS, the Bursar, Dr. Elvis Ozoadibe; his ESUT counterpart, Dr. Augustine Ojeh; the State Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Innocent Ezeoha, the State Chairman of ALGON and Chairman of Udenu LGA, Hon. Solomon Onah, Mr. Anselem Onah; the University Librarian, Dr. Mrs. Monica Eze etc.
