By Diana-Okon Effiong Calabar, June 28, 2013 An Information and Telecommunication Centre , built and equipped by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited...
By Diana-Okon Effiong
Calabar, June 28, 2013 An Information and Telecommunication Centre , built and equipped by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), has been donated to Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH).
The Centre was handed over to CRUTECH authority by Mr Chike Onyejekwe, SNEPCo’s Managing Director, at a ceremony Friday at CRUTECH’s main campus, Calabar.
Onyejekwe said the N60million centre has a fully furnished ICT block; 50 desktop computers, each with uninterrupted power supply unit; a server; two printers (colour and black and white); and computer software.
Represented at the occasion by Mr Ijere Kanu, the company’s Business Manager, Onyejekwe said SNEPCo had also provided a 27-KVA sound-proof generator to the facility.
“The package includes internet connectivity with a fully paid three-year subscription, as well as a one-year maintenance arrangement. Most importantly, the package includes IT training for lecturers,’’ he said.
He also urged the university authorities to maintain and sustain the centre for future generations of students, adding that SNEPCo would continue to advise and guide the school authority on the facility.
He said the centre was built for CRUTECH “on behalf of SNEPCo and our co-venturers’’ in its capacity as the operator of the Production Sharing Contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
In his address, Dr Peter Ogbang, the Chancellor and Chairman of CRUTECH’s Governing Council commended the donors for their vision of contributing to the development of computer literacy in Nigeria through similar ICT projects.
“This donation is very welcomed at this time of bridging the digital divide that has turned the world into a global village,’’ he said.
According to Ogbang the university would in the near future begin an E-learning Long Distance Education programme which would require high speed internet (Broadband) running on a fibre backbone
“I assure you that this centre will be used for learning and research by our students. Management will maintain and sustain the centre for future generation of students,’’ he said.
In his remark Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River urged CRUTECH management to take good care of the facility for the students and the university community, adding that the project was dear to the state government.
He said that the state government was desirous that its citizens were computer literate and that the ICT facility at CRUTECH was an encouraging step by SNEPCo.
“We will also appreciate that the students make good use of the facility. We urge you to take immediate advantage of this. We urge other companies to emulate the donors,’’ Imoke said.
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