The Human Resources Development Centre (HRDC) of the University of Lagos has delivered on its promise of an impactful 5-day training session from Monday, May 15 to Friday, May 19, 2023
The training was meant for senior officers of the Bursary and Registry sections of educational tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
With the theme: ‘Strategies for Efficient and Sustainable Internally Generated Revenue in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions’, the programme began officially with an Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at the Conference Hall, HRDC, UNILAG, Akoka.
Various sessions were handled by seasoned bigwigs and renowned administrators drawn from Nigeria’s tertiary education and financial sectors who delivered resourceful and practicable papers including Fundamentals of Revenue Generation and Need for Financial Wellness by the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Rahamon Bello;
Revenue Collection Strategies and Accounting, including Limitations/Challenges to Revenue Maximisation by former Bursar, University of Ibadan, Dr. M. Alatishe and Action Plan to Generating Revenue Internally by former Bursar, University of Lagos, Dr. G. D. Ifarajimi.
Others are the Application of GIFMIS and TSA in the Enhancement of Revenue for the Federal Government as well as Revenue Monitoring and Control by former Director, OAGF, Mr. Alex Adeyemi;
Reconciliation Techniques for Complete and Accurate Revenue Reporting using ICT by System Specs, Mr. Igbalajobi and
Organizational and Human Resource Issues on Revenue Generation by Mrs. A. Kabusun, CMD, Lagos.
On Thursday, May 18, 2023, the participants were led on a courtesy visit to the Office of the Vice Chancellor by the Chairman, HRDC Board of Directors, Professor Ishola Wakil; HRDC Director, Dr. Lateef A. Odekunle and some HRDC staff including Mr. Wale Olasunmade, Mrs. Oyenuga and Mrs. Faremi.
They were received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa who represented the Vice-Chancellor; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Professor Bola Oboh; and Director of the National Information Technology Development Agency IT Hub (NITHUB), Dr. Victor Odumuyiwa among others at the Senate Chambers.
The visit marked the closing ceremony of the intensive training programme, with the award of certificates to all participants by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics and Research, Professor Bola Oboh.
Participants included the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Professor AbdulHamid Ahmed; Bursar of Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Dr. Gladday Igweagbara and Deputy Bursar, University of Nigeria, Nzukka, Dr. Christopher Apiti.
They could not hide their delight and satisfaction at the warm reception accorded them, as well as the resources provided in a timely and well-organized manner by the organisers of the event.
Professor AbdulHamid Ahmed said, “I opted to be a participant in this programme as a priority over other engagements because of the need to creatively attract revenue to a young university like mine.
“As a participant, I have been deeply blessed by the knowledgeable scholars provided as trainers in this programme. The knowledge gained will be of immense benefit at the Umaru Musa Yar Adua University, and the strategies learned will be utilized, maximally.
In his testimony, Dr. Gladday Igweagbara said the programme injected fresh tactics and innovation into engagement in the area of revenue generation.
He said the programme has sharpened his marketing drive toward the attainment of a sustainable university, which meets its financial needs for growth and development.
Similarly, Dr. Christopher Apiti appreciated the university for initiating the programme which has enriched him and other participants, greatly.
His words, “The knowledge acquired will be integrated for a different University of Nigeria in the remittance of dividends of internally generated revenue.”
Responding to the encomium showered on the University of Lagos, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa thanked the participants and described their testimonies as an indication that UNILAG had lived up to its reputation as the University of First Choice and the Nation’s pride.
She explained that the University which was set up sixty (60) years ago by an Act of Parliament remained committed to excellence in scholarship, knowledge, character and manpower development, locally and internationally.
She added, “By virtue of its creation and location, the university has a very important obligation to provide guidance and leadership to new universities, especially as nobody can grow alone. This role, which is fully embraced by the university with a high sense of responsibility and humility, is crucial for the growth and development of the nation’s education sector”.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, thereafter, urged the participants to take a tour of the university, particularly the National Information Technology Development Agency IT Hub (NITHub), which is one of the five (5) innovative hubs on the Akoka campus of UNILAG.
She noted that a visit to NITHub would open their eyes to fresh opportunities and ideas, as the hub which is open to members of the university community and general public, is a centre for cross-fertilization of ideas among academia, industries, entrepreneurs, startups and investors.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the HRDC Board of Directors, Professor Ishola Wakil, noted that the caliber of participants in the training programme demonstrated the readiness of tertiary education administrators to key into sustainable strategies to enhance the generation of revenue, to fund developmental activities in higher institutions.
He added that institutions must pursue fresh approaches to sustain education in Nigeria.
The closing ceremony climaxed with a vote of thanks by the Director of HRDC, Dr. Lateef Odekunle and group photographs, subsequently.
