Monarchs Call for Sale of State University

Calabar — The Cross River State Council of Traditional Rulers has called on the state government to place the state University of Technology on sale due to inability to fund the institution. Speaking at annual stakeholders forum of the institution held at the Calabar main campus of the university, Chairman of the council and Paramount Ruler of Bakassi Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty Etinyin (Dr) Etim Okon Edet said the option of privatization should be considered as the current situation, where the institution is barely struggling to foot her bills is pathetic and unacceptable. He said alternatively; government should come out with clear cut and realistic plans on sustainable funding adding that the present situation, where the institution operate multi-campus system cutting across the three senatorial district should also be reviewed. The monarch said, "If government can no longer fund the university, can't we sell it to private individuals, who are ready to run this great university? Can't we reduce the campuses and stop playing politics? What is the need of running multi-campus when you can't even fund one? So like I said I'm very sad." Speaking at the event, representative of the state governor, Sen. Ben Ayade, Commissioner for Education, Godwin Ettah assured stakeholders that the government was committed to resolving the challenges confronting the university.