THE Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, Tuesday warned that the pervading epileptic supply of electricity in the country could hinder the quests by the university to make all its teaching and learning endeavours ICT- compliance.

Ambali spoke as his counterpart in the Federal University, Dustin-Ma, Katsina State, Prof. James Ayatse, appealed for more funding from the Federal Government to enable him turn the university into a world class institution.

The Ilorin varsity boss, through the Dean, Faculty of Communications and Information Sciences of the University, Prof. Lenrie Aina, spoke in Ilorin at a press briefing heralding the fifth year anniversary of the faculty. The Faculty was formally established via the decision of the Senate at its 193rd (Special) meeting held on June 20, 2008.

The grand finale of the anniversary fixed for three days (May 7 to May 9, this year) will be a public lecture to be delivered by Prof. Cleopas Anagye, Director- General of National Technology Information Development Agency (NITDA), Abuja. It is titled "Info and Communication Technology (ICT): The Hub to National Development in the 21st Century."

According to the Ambali, "we have tried to make both the lecturers and the students to comply with the ICT teaching and learning methodologies. However, the major constraint facing that system is the epileptic supply of electricity and if this should persist, the system may collapse."

He expressed belief that the nation, as a developing one, could only get it right in the social, political and economic sector if its electricity system is revived and made stable.

The vice chancellor said the faculty, since its establishment, received on yearly basis over 6,000 applications into it, adding that the faculty, due to space and equipment constraints, could only admit "at most 200 students."

He said the school and especially the faculty have commenced entrepreneurial training for its students to fill the gap of unemployment after graduation. The Head of Department of Mass Communications under the faculty, Mahmoud Abdulraheem, said the department could admit only 30 applicants with a view to making the graduates of the department compete favourably with their colleagues in the labour market.

Speaking when the National Good Governance team inspected the temporary site of the institution, Ayatse noted that there are challenges of power, water supply and accommodation for staff and students, adding that without these basic facilities, relocating to the school's permanent site will be difficult.

He noted that the university is under staffed and emphasised the need for funding to send its young lecturers on training.

Also speaking, Deputy Governor of the state, Abdullahi Garba Faskari, said the state has since given the school N1billion as take off grant out of which N7 million has been released. He said the state government would continue to support the university to attain the height it seeks.