The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has urged vice chancellors to ensure efficient management of available resources to strengthen research and national development.

The committee’s Chairman, Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa), gave the charge on Friday during an ongoing oversight visit to federal universities in the South-East geopolitical zone.

Mr Fulata said the exercise was aimed at assessing the implementation of the 2025 and 2026 Appropriation Acts and ensuring judicious utilisation of public funds.

He described oversight as a constitutional responsibility that must be discharged despite competing political engagements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He stated, “Ordinarily, we should be in our various constituencies campaigning for our re-election in January 2027. But we have to leave our respective states to carry out the constitutional and mandatory responsibility of oversight.”

He stressed the need to establish how universities had implemented previous budgets and utilised resources allocated to them.

Mr Fulata, however, expressed displeasure over the absence of the Vice Chancellors of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ugochukwu Anyaehie, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Simon Ortuanya.

He said neither of vice chancellors attended the engagement nor provided relevant documents to their representatives on the recent administration of the institutions.

The lawmaker also expressed concern over the deplorable access road linking the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), with surrounding communities.

He appealed to the Imo State government and the Federal Ministry of Works to intervene urgently and rehabilitate the road.

The Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Ikechukwu Dozie, also lamented the road’s condition, seeking the committee’s intervention.

Mr Dozie further called for action against land encroachment affecting the university.

Similarly, the Vice Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Prof. Stella Lemchi, appealed for government support to facilitate the institution’s effective take-off.

She identified inadequate lecture halls, academic buildings, road networks and erosion control facilities among the challenges requiring urgent attention.

Ms Lemchi also highlighted inadequate electricity, student and staff accommodation, and institutional services, including medical and emergency facilities.

In another presentation, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, Prof. John Emiamo, said the newly established institution urgently needed additional manpower.

He also identified shortages of medical and dental equipment, expanded classrooms, an auditorium, laboratory buildings and equipment as critical infrastructure gaps requiring attention. (NAN)