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From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The National President of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has commended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for attracting a grant of US$6 million from the World Bank to help solve energy challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ganduje made the commendation in Nsukka yesterday during the grand opening of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), Core Building, UNN.
He described the Director of the ACE-SPED, Prof Emenike Ejiogu, who attracted the grant as exceptional academician for attracting a grant of such magnitude from the World Bank, to the university.
“I commend the vision and leadership provided by the ACE-SPED director as exceptional and encourage him to aspire more to greater higher in the service of his fatherland.
“Not only did Prof Ejiogu lead the team that won the grant for UNN, he has over the few years of his leadership obtained further grants of over 500,000 dollars, anchored to this major project.
“More of such projects from people like him with great ideas are needed to reposition our nation for the betterment of the citizens,” he said.
Ganduje, who was represented by Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, former Governor of Zamfara State, expressed happiness that UNN is keying into the vision of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to provide energy sufficiency for homes and businesses for the economic growth and well-being of the citizens of the country.
Speaking, General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council expressed happiness that the centre’s mandate captured the energy challenge the university, the country and the entire sub-Saharan Africa is currently facing.
“I’m optimistic that the Director-ACE-SPED and his team will help the university to solve the problem of power crisis in UNN which will help to reduce the huge amount of money paid as electricity bills to public power providers,” he said.
In his remarks, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof Polycarp Chigbu, said the grand opening of the ACE-SPED core building marked a significant milestone in the success story of the centre.
“We gathered here today not only to celebrate the state-of-the-art facility but also to honour the vision, hard work and dedication that have gone into ensuring that the centre is living up to its mandate.
“As many of you would know, ACE-SPED is a key project under the funding of the World Bank and Agence Francaise de Development (ADF), with a mandate to develop quality human capital that will drive sustainable energy solutions across sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.
Chigbu commended the Director-ACE-SPED and his team for their remarkable achievement in attracting the grant as well as siting the project in UNN.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the management of ACE-SPED, under the able leadership of Prof Ejiogu, for the remarkable achievements in bringing this project to fruition.
“UNN is optimistic that this multi-million naira project will go a long way in solving power challenges in the university in no distant time,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Ejiogu said alongside the opening of the centre’s core building, that several world-class facilities that will elevate the centre’s research billed for commissioning include: the Ultra-High Tech Material Characterization Lab, 3D Electronic Prototype Lab, and Centre for Competence in Digital Education (C-CoDE), among others.
He noted that the centre would through its programmes award certificates on Master of Engineering, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Renewable New Energy System, Power Engineering, Sustainable Energy Material Engineering and Industrial Electronics Devices.
It would also award certificates in Control Instrumentation Engineering, Energy Policy, Regulation and Management, Engineering Design and Product Development, Management of Technology and Innovation, among others, adding that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has accredited all their programmes.
“Since inception, ACE-SPED has produced 32 Masters degree graduates, many of whom are regional students from across sub-Saharan Africa.
“At ACE-SPED, we are deeply committed to advancing the global energy transition. We will play a central role in shaping a sustainable energy future that benefits our immediate environment, our country, sub-Saharan Africa and the world at large,” he said.
Ejiogu commended the World Bank and ADF for the confidence they reposed in him for awarding him the grant as well as the NUC, the UNN Management, staff and students of the centre for their contributions to the achievements of the centre so far.
One of the students of the centre, Alpha Swarray, a Control and Instrumental Engineering Master’s Degree student from Sierra Leone, expressed his happiness in gaining a scholarship admission to the centre.
Swarray, who said that he is working in the power sector in his country noted that the knowledge he will acquire will help Sierra Leone in solving their energy crisis.
