Education
MR Ita Ekpenyong, a retired Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), has presented a cheque to the University of Calabar, through his Foundation, “Teacher Essien Ita Itam Educational Trust Fund” for fixing of potholes in the institution.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Mr Gersh Henshaw, presented the cheque to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi in Calabar.
Henshaw said that the organization was delighted to identify with the first female Vice-Chancellor of the institution 45 years after its establishment.
He said that the foundation was poised to contribute its quota towards the development of the institution, hence the donation, which he said, was meant for fixing of potholes in the institution to ease the movement of vehicles on campus.
According to him, the Foundation, a non-profit organization, had set up the Trust Fund for such purposes, adding that under the Fund, scholarships will also be offered to indigent students in tertiary institutions to promote academic excellence across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He disclosed that the donation to the University and the scholarship aspect of the Foundation were activities lined up to mark the anniversary of the wife of the retired DSS DG, Mrs Temitope Ita, who passed on in March 13, 2019.
While thanking the Vice-Chancellor for identifying with them, he said the Foundation was looking forward to exploring other areas of partnership with the institution for mutual benefits.
Henshaw, who expressed confidence in the ability of the Vice-Chancellor to turn the tide for the good of the institution, urged her not to hesitate to call on the Foundation whenever the need arises.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retired DG of DSS is an Alumnus of the University of Calabar and the first set of students to be admitted into the institution.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor thanked the Foundation for the kind gesture, assuring that the money would be put to good use.
Obi, who described Ekpenyong, son of a legendary teacher, as a ‘Dependable Friend’ of the institution, said posterity will be kind to him for the philanthropic gesture towards the institution and the society at large.
Recalling how he facilitated security operatives to stop hoodlums from further destroying the University property during the #Endsars protest, the Vice-Chancellor said, “it is not easy to have people help the University”.
“Ita Ekpenyong is a good friend of the University. He has done so much to support us. A call to him, turned things around for us during the Endsars protests because the destruction would have been worse than what we saw.
“The money will be put to good use. The potholes will be fixed in a few days,” the VC assured.
The Vice-Chancellor added that the institution was looking forward to sustaining the partnership with the Foundation. (NAN)
-Feb, 16, 2021 13:27 AM
Tags: Former DSS DG donates to Unical pothole rehabilitation
