Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, has vowed to take all the required steps that would enable the state government to reposition the state-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
He disclosed this in Benin, Monday night, after signing into law a bill that provides him, as the Visitor to University, with the powers to intervene on the lingering crisis that has weighed down the institution over the years.
The bill, an amendment to the bill that conferred on him as Visitor to the institution, the full authority, without encumbrance of the law, to now undertake a surgical cleansing of our University.
He said: “I want to thank you for the support you have shown by passing the amendment to the Ambrose Alli University Act of 1999, empowering the visitor to intervene with the aim of repositioning Ambrose Alli University.
“Just like all of us in Edo have witnessed, the sad and unfortunate situation that has engulfed the premium state university, which blazed that trail in terms of academic excellence in this country when it was established 40 years ago.
Unfortunately, in the last decade or so, the performance of our university has fallen below the expectations of our founding fathers and our own expectations.
With the amendment that you have graciously enacted, the Visitor now has the full authority, without encumbrance of the law, to now undertake a surgical cleansing of our university.
Be rest assured that we will take all the required positive steps to reposition AAU to become that centre of learning, which our founding fathers meant it to be.
We are going to put in place, a proper governance structure, accountability and transparency in the management of the affairs of the Ambrose Alli University; that university is our pride,” the Governor said.
On his part, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, expressed hope and confidence in the Governor’s ability to intervene and bring about serious educational reforms that will make the AAU very competitive.
“We are here this evening to present a Special Intervention Bill conferring the powers of special intervention on Ambrose Alli University. The bill was passed by the seventh Assembly conferring on you, the Visitor to Ambrose Alli University, the power to intervene on the crisis that is rocking the University.
Members of the State Assembly looked at the bill extensively, with hope and confidence in your ability as the governor to intervene and bring about serious educational reforms that will make the state university a very competitive one in the sub-Saharan region,” Onobun said.
