This followed a letter of notification written by the Vice-chancellor, David Nweze Umahi University of Medical sciences Uburu, Ebonyi State and addressed to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, mni, MFR, FNAL. The letter dated 15th September, 2022 had informed the NUC of the take-over of the institution by the Federal Government, including the documents relevant to the take-over such as Institution Take-Over Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of Ebonyi State, as well as the approval of Mr. President for the take-over of the Institution.
In a response letter to the notification dated 5th October, 2022, the Executive Secretary, on behalf of the NUC conveyed to the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, that with effect from Friday 7th September, 2022, the David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, has been recognised as the 50th Federal University and 219th University, respectively, in the Nigerian University System (NUS).
The letter signed personally by Prof. Rasheed also noted that the institution is also the 8th Specialised University of Medical Sciences in Nigeria. The letter further reads: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), are being notified of the take-over and renaming of the University, as appropriate.” Elaborating on the take-over, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Jesse Uneke, had through a Press Conference at the University Campus recently, told journalists that the University is now to be known and addressed as David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu.
Prof. Uneke said the renaming of the school was part of the taking over agreements between the School and the Federal Government. He further disclosed that the Federal Government has concluded plans to establish six new universities of health sciences across the six geopolitical zones of the country, adding that King David Nweze Umahi University of Medical Sciences Uburu, had been chosen for the South East.
He also announced reduction of tuition fees of the institution from N3millon to N1million for major courses including Medicine and Surgery, and Pharmacy.
According to him, Nursing Sciences which was N2million will now be N700,000 while Industrial Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology which were N1million, have been slashed to N500,000 each.
“Following the approval of the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State and the recent take-over of the David Nweze Umahi University of Medical Sciences by the Federal Government, the Management of the University hereby announces the reduction in the school fees payable by students of the University.
“What we are looking at is that we want as many people to be able to afford the university and now that it has been taken over by the federal government, if the Federal Government takes over our salaries, bring capital project fund, why should we keep the tuition fees so high even though I can tell you that to manage the facilities in this university is not a joke.
“We are trying to make the university affordable. If you look at the fees and you want to be very considerate, you cannot compare it with what is happening in other Universities.“We have done the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). As I am talking to you, the bill establishing the University is already in the National Assembly and we are hoping to conclude that within the next few months. “Once that is done, you have the university law, which would show that the university has taken-off. We are getting more support from the federal government to strengthen what is happening”, he concluded.