Deputy Speaker facilitates N1.6bn for convocation centre at UniCal

Mr Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has facilitated the sum of N1.6 billion for the construction of a convocation and event centre at the University of Calabar (UniCal) Prof. Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor of UniCal, disclosed this during the ground-breaking of the centre in Calabar.

Obi said it was regrettable that the university, established 50 years ago, did not have a convocation centre.

Stressing the need to have a convocation centre at the institution, Obi said during her first convocation as VC, it rained so heavily that the canopies set at the Abraham Odia Stadium,the venue of the convocation, ceremonies,were blown off.

“So, when we visited the deputy Speaker, who is an alumnus of this institution, I mentioned some of the basic needs of the university to him, top among which is the convocation arena and a senate building.

“The deputy speaker decided to support us with the construction of a convocation and event centre worth N1.6 billion, the centre would be named after him after completion.

“The building will have two floors about 6,000 s capacity and another hall for theater and arts performance,which will be state- of-the-art,” she said.

She added that the deputy speaker had made provision of N800 million in the budget of the school for 2025 and promised to facilitate the balance of N800 million in the 2026 budget.

Speaking, Kalu who conducted the ground breaking, said it was not right that the school had her convocation under canopies, adding that something needed to be done.

He said for standard work to be achieved in the centre, he would ensure that the building was effectively supervised through the House of Representative Committee for Education.

“We will ensure that the construction is properly scrutinised for quality control and aesthetics, so that when I come back here subsequently, I will have my re-union with my law class of 1998 in the hall.

“Funding will start in few weeks and very soon, the project will commence, My prayer is for you to choose good people who can handle the project,” he said.

He appealed to all those who graduated from UniCal to come back and support the development of the institution.