UNICROSS VC Receives Survey Report, Seeks Government Intervention to Protect University Land for Expansion

 

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Prof. Francisca Bassey, has received the report and survey documentation on the University’s land boundaries, including the outcome of a recent survey exercise conducted by the Surveyor-General of Cross River State, Surv. Patrick Edet Bassey, and his technical team.

Prof. Bassey received the documents during a meeting with the Surveyor-General at his office, where she was accompanied by members of the University Management Team.

A major highlight of the engagement was the resolution of the boundary issue involving the University’s Ogoja Campus. 

The Surveyor-General confirmed that the University’s land had been properly delineated and mapped, following which a new survey plan was prepared and presented to the University.

He congratulated the Vice Chancellor and the University Management on the development, while Prof. Bassey formally received the survey documentation on behalf of the University.

The Surveyor-General also provided further clarification on the University’s land position around the Calabar Campus, drawing on historical records, survey information and an orthophoto presented during the engagement.

The survey findings and historical records indicated that a significant portion of the University’s original landholding has been encroached upon over the years, with the Vice Chancellor noting that approximately 80 per cent of the University’s land in the affected area had been taken over.

The information further indicated that the University’s original landholding extended considerably beyond the area currently occupied by the Secretariat of Calabar South, underscoring the extent of the institution’s historical landholding and the scale of the encroachment that has occurred over time.

Speaking during the engagement, Prof. Bassey expressed appreciation to the Surveyor-General and his technical team for undertaking the survey exercise and providing technical clarification on the University’s land position.

She noted that the extensive encroachment had significantly constrained the University’s ability to undertake the physical expansion required to meet the demands of its growing academic, administrative and residential population.

The Vice Chancellor stated that the University urgently needs additional infrastructure and more efficient utilisation of its remaining land, particularly through the development of high-rise structures that can maximise available space.

She explained that the University’s limited land resources have made vertical development increasingly necessary, especially at a time when the cost of constructing high-rise buildings has risen considerably as a result of inflation.

Prof. Bassey also pointed out that TETFund interventions, while important to the development of the University, are subject to funding limits that may not be sufficient to undertake major high-rise projects at prevailing construction costs.

She therefore called for greater intervention by the Cross River State Government and other relevant authorities to enable UNICROSS to maximise the limited land available to it through strategic infrastructural development.

The Vice Chancellor stressed that the issue was no longer simply about securing land, but also about ensuring that the University has sufficient space to accommodate its future growth.

She appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently address the issue of encroachment, protect the remaining University land and explore appropriate measures, including the provision of alternative land, to support the institution’s expansion within the Calabar metropolis.

Prof. Bassey noted that additional land would be particularly important as UNICROSS continues to expand its academic programmes, student population, staff strength and infrastructural requirements. She added that the need for expansion was more urgent due to challenges, including flooding, affecting some existing staff quarters.

The Vice Chancellor emphasised that the University must be positioned to develop modern academic facilities, administrative buildings, staff accommodation and other essential infrastructure capable of supporting its long-term growth.

Therefore, she urged all relevant stakeholders to recognise University land as a critical institutional asset that must be protected for present and future generations.

Prof. Bassey further called on those occupying portions of the University’s property to desist from further encroachment, stressing that continued loss of institutional land would undermine the University’s ability to plan effectively for its future development.

She expressed profound appreciation to the Surveyor-General and his technical team for their professional efforts in resolving the Ogoja boundary matter and providing greater clarity on the University’s land position in Calabar.

The Vice Chancellor commended the quality of the survey work and noted that the new documentation would provide an important basis for the University’s long-term land administration, physical planning and infrastructural development.

Prof. Bassey also acknowledged the support and interest of the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, in the development and repositioning of UNICROSS.

She noted that the prompt government intervention and the swift response of the Surveyor-General and his team demonstrated the Governor’s commitment to addressing issues affecting the University and creating an enabling environment for its sustainable growth.

The Vice Chancellor reaffirmed the commitment of the University Management to safeguarding the institution’s land assets and working with the Cross River State Government and other relevant stakeholders to secure the land and infrastructure required to meet UNICROSS’s growing academic, administrative and residential needs.

The University looks forward to continued collaboration and government support towards protecting its remaining land, exploring opportunities for additional land and developing the infrastructure required for the sustainable growth of UNICROSS.

— UNICROSS Media Team