New KWASU VC lists priorities

Prof. Muhammed Akanbi, the new Vice-Chancellor, Kwara State University, Malete, says his priorities will include students and staff welfare, attracting research funding and usage of ICT for development.
Prof. Akanbi told newsmen on Friday in Ilorin that he would strive to help academic staff attend local and international conferences to widen their horizon and secure grants for them for research and innovations.
He added that he would also focus on adequate motivation of members of staff to enable them deliver optimally.
The professor of law said he would also ensure that the university focused on its students, stressing that the essence of a university was to primarily teach students and, in turn, help the society.
Akanbi said: “I will also be looking at funding, because in a state university, we need funding.
“Without adequate funding, we will not be in a position to deliver much.
“I also intend to look into Information Technology because we live in an IT world.
“The school already has a solid foundation for IT.
“So we intend to improve on it.
“As you can see, with the Coronavirus challenge that we are having, students are not in school but we can’t sit down.
“We will have a vibrant and robust ICT learning resource centre and we can, from our homes, do teaching and research.
“Of course, the people that will support me to achieve this mission are the members of staff, both academic and nonacademic.
“So I intend to invest in their welfare.
“We are going to ensure that they are well motivated so as to be able to deliver.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state government on Wednesday accepted the recommendation of KWASU’s Governing Council to appoint Akanbi as the new Vice Chancellor.