The Gregory University, (GUU) Uturu, in Abia State held its sixth Convocation at the weekend with 187 students graduating at the event as seven of the graduands bagged First Class Honours.
The First Class students were immediately offered automatic employment and scholarship to doctoral degree level.
The Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Augustine Uwakwe, in his address at the ceremony held at the university’s auditorium explained that 85 graduands made Second Class (Upper Division) and 87 Second Class (Lower Division) and that some of the Post Graduate Students did very well.
He stated that the university decided to absolved First Class graduates as Graduate Assistants and also give them scholarships to Doctoral level in line with the university’s tradition in order to encourage hard work in the school.
The VC disclosed that besides their academic studies, the graduands were trained to acquire additional skills, coupled with the matching spirit of enterprise to become job creators and innovators.
According to him, in 2018/2019 academic session, the institution got approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence 16 additional academic programmes and named the programmes to include Pharmacy, Nursing, Optometry, Public Health, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Architecture and all the programmes in the College of Education.
Prof Uwakwe stated that the institution had spent over N350 million in the construction of its ongoing multi-billion naira Teaching Hospital at Ezinnachi in Imo, in addition to the hostel and office block projects.
Speaking also, the Chancellor and founder of the university, Prof. Gregory Ibe, said the institution had moved from its three colleges at inception to 10 colleges and reiterated that the post-graduate students; population is ever increasing and has maintained a strong intake level with some already graduated.
He expressed his joy that the university had sustained the 61 courses accredited by National University Commission (NUC) and noted that students population has grown to 200 with 258 academic staff strength.
The chancellor said that the university had maintained a robust relationship with the Abia State Government, and that the university is growing from strength to strength.
At the ceremony, the university also conferred honorary doctoral degrees on 10 prominent Nigerians, including an Umuahia- Owerri based industrialist and estate developer, Mr Obioma Okorie, who bagged Degree of Doctoral Business Management.
Others are: retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr Joshak Habila, Chief Executive Officer, Derrick Group of Companies, Mrs Nwakaego Emmanuel and Prof Sam Zuga Archbishop of City of Joy Ministry, Otukpo in Benue state represented by Mrs Anita Adeyemi who also bagged Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities.
Speaking after the conferment of the Degree in Business Management, Chief Obioma Okorie expressed joy that the institution found him worthy of the honour. Obioma who had already donated 100 bags of cement to the university promised to see to the completion of the project he will embarked on in the university and commended the university for it high standard.
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