Tony Okafor, Awka

Unizik graduates 7733 students, promotes 494 academic staff to readers, professors


Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State, will today graduate no fewer than 7733 students.

The students who are graduating from the 2022/2023 academic session will mark the 18th convocation ceremony of the university.

Out of the 7733 students, 7,091
would be awarded first degrees across various faculties while 96 will receive postgraduate diplomas whereas 391 and 251 will receive Masters and Doctoral degrees respectively.

This is contained in the address of the outgoing Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Charles Esimone.

The VC's address read in part,
"The 18th Convocation ceremony is for the 2022/2023 academic year. Seven thousand and ninety one (7,091) graduands will receive first degrees; ninety-six (96) postgraduate diplomas; three hundred and ninety-one (391) and two hundred and fifty-one (251) will receive Masters and Doctorate degrees respectively.

"With the instant convocation, all who completed academic years within my tenure as Vice-Chancellor have had their convocation ceremonies, also within my tenure."

On staff appraisals and promotions, Prof Esimone said under his administration 494 staff of the university were promoted to the rank of readers and professors.

He said,"It is worthy of note that notwithstanding the disruptions in academic and administrative activities of the nation’s universities, Nnamdi Azikiwe University has not allowed the implementation of its new staff conditions of service approved in our administration to suffer vis-à-vis the welfare and promotion of staff.

"The staff appraisal innovations have ensured that deserving staff are promptly promoted. Thus far, four hundred and ninety-four (494) staff have been promoted to the rank of Readers and Professors, two hundred and forty (240) to senior lecturers; and seven hundred and sixty-six (766) to other ranks in the academic staff career ladder.

"For the non-teaching staff, four (4) were appointed into director positions; seventy-eight (78) were promoted to the ranks of deputy positions; two thousand two hundred and ninety-one (2,291) to other senior non-teaching staff and junior staff positions."

"In a determination to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the Administration, new cadres were created which while providing more opportunities for upward mobility of the staff, importantly provided better service delivery."