The Enugu State House of Assembly have applauded the State Government for prompt release of N280 million for reaccreditation and payment of workers salaries at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT).
The Assembly Committee chairman on Education, Mr James Akadu made the commendation during an oversight visit to the institution in Enugu on Wednesday.
Akadu, who represents Igbo Etiti West Constituency, said that release of the fund was part of the intervention efforts of the state government towards ensuring that IMT maintained its pace as the foremost higher institution in the South East zone.
The lawmaker, however, commended the management of the institution for reaccreditation of 40 courses within a short period of time.
Akadu revealed that the committee would ensure that contractors handling critical projects in the institution delivered them in due time to enable students and lecturers perform effectively.
According to him, the committee will not allow any contractor to sabotage efforts of the state government to make IMT conducive for the residents of the state.
In her remarks, a member of the committee, Mrs Ethel Ugwuanyi, while commending the management of the institution for its proper management, asked them to address the arbitrary charges imposed on the students.
Responding, the Rector of the institution, Prof. Austin Nweze, said the institution was handicapped towards completing the Engineering school, a project, he said, had remained uncompleted for a long time.
While noting that they had accessed the 2021 recurrent budget, Nweze disclosed that they were having issues accessing funds for capital expenditure, which he blamed on paucity of funds.
He explained that most of the building constructions they complained about during their last visit were now fully completed and occupied by the staff and students.
The rector made bold to say that among all the higher institutions in the state, only IMT was up to date in payment of workers’ salaries.
Nweze also said that the first set of the degree programme which the institution had in affiliation with the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) would graduate next year.
The Rector however, applauded the state government for its intervention to the school, especially in the reaccreditation of many of their courses.