Prof. Jeremiah Ojediran, the Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun state has made an appeal to the federal government to extend intervention funds to private universities in the country.
Ojediran said that it would make the private universities contribute their quota to national development.
He made this appeal at a press briefing on Wednesday ahead of the university’s 14th convocation.
The VC listed areas where they need the assistance of the federal government, the areas include research grants, training of staff, provision of infrastructure, among others.
According to him, private universities also contribute meaningfully to national development, adding that they were stakeholders in advancing human capital development initiatives.
There is need for the federal government to invest in human capital development in order to have an orderly and educated society.
In addition, the intervention would also help the private universities to produce quality research, he said.
He also noted that private universities had contributed immensely to the human capacity of development of Nigerians, and that products of private universities were making Nigeria proud all over the world.
Ojediran hammered on the commitment of Bells University towards research activities in order to achieve sustainable development in the country.
He said that the institution had achieved milestones.
According to him, the university commenced operation with 51 students in 2005, attaining 3,600 carrying capacity against the approved 5,000 by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The VC said the institution was ranked 13th best private university, and among the 20 top universities in Nigeria by ranking bodies.
He, however, urged the federal government to honour its agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), so as to reduce incessant strikes in tertiary institutions.