ENUGU – The Vice Chancellor of The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Professor Charles Igwe, has commended the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF) for its interventions in the global education sector, including Nigeria.
Prof Igwe who expressed deep appreciation to UNICEF for the kind gesture on education sector said “UNICEF interventions in the global education sector, including Nigeria is highly commendable,”
He said UNN is partnering the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF),to establish a new institute of social policy at the Nsukka campus.
The institute was formally launched at the Nsukka permanent site of UNN.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prof Igwe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Romanus Ezeokonkwo, noted that the institute which is set to fly would go a long way in addressing the nation’s policy formation and implementation challenges in all sectors via capacity building of policy makers and production of future leaders with needed knowledge on the subject matter.
The VC said the issue of social policy is vital in any clime as it cuts across every discipline and sectors hence, the need to accord it serious attention, stressing that no nation, be it developed, or developing can make any meaningful head way in it’s economy without proper policy formation and implementation.
He said it’s against the backdrop of the usefulness of social policy that UNN conceived the idea of the institute, and would do everything possible ensure that it succeeds, thanking UNICEF, for being a worthy partner to the institution.
He disclosed that a competent Director, Okey Ikeanyibe of Administration and policy has been appointed for the institute, which offers Post graduate Courses, PGD, MSc, and PhD, adding that most facilities to drive it has also been put in place, including engagement of committed Staff drawn from various disciplines in the social sciences.
He said “We don’t have any problem regarding the institute. We are set to fly, because the university Senate has given approval to all our request. We have the capacity, and ready to deliver, because social policy is all about development and touching human lives.”
Speaking, leader of UNICEF delegation, from Enugu field office, Dr. Olusoji Akinleye, said his organization is always poised towards promoting education and issues bothering on human development across the globe including Africa and Nigeria.
He stated that lack of proper policy formation and implementation had over the years remained a serious clog in the wheel of progress of the country hence, the need to address it through such important institute.
He said that a robust and proper social policy would help in tackling multiple issues in the nation’s economy, adding that it would equally help in mainstreaming the United nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), because policy making he stated, requires a lot of skills and expertise, assuring that UNICEF is determined to ensure that the UNN institute’s objective would be fully realized in the end.
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