Varsity Pro-Chancellor Lambasts Okowa, Others Over FUPRE

Unless governors in oil producing states begin to show more interest in Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, FUPRE, the premier university of petroleum in Africa will continue to suffer neglect and never contribute to the development of Nigeria’s oil and gas potentials, says Shehu Abdullahi Zuru, Pro-chancellor of the university.

Zuru, who is a professor of Petroleum Law and Policy and recently resumed as chairman, governing board of FUPRE, carpeted governor Ifeanyi Okowa and previous managements in the last 10 years of the university’s existence, calling them “visionless and clueless.” He says that he is grieved that oil producing state government has shown great apathy towards FUPRE.

“Part of my sadness about the university is the attitude of the South South governors. Remember, that is the oil producing zone for the country for now.

“A University of petroleum resources was strategically sited in a region where oil is being produced, but sadly there is no governor in the South South of this country that has invested as much as N5 million of the state money in the university.

“Yes, N5 million of its resource into the development drives of the university. Let me say, without mincing words that the governments in the five states don’t look at the university as their collective treasure, meant to be nurtured, valued and advocated for.

“They don’t. There is no single project funded by the Delta State government where the university is sited. When I first visited the place, I went to my hotel and shed tears,” stated the professor. The pro chancellor further added that previous managements that administered the university are also to blame in the matter.

“I think that for all intent and purposes, government actually meant well in setting up the school. But there is so much you can do when you don’t have reliable development partners. Government cannot go to Efurun to start running
the university on its own. It has to rely on the directorial mind and will of the university management.

“And when the directing mind of the university is faulty, visionless and clueless, there is nothing government can do about it,” he said.

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