We Are Waiting NUC Licence For Takeoff Of STARS Varsity – Ned Nwoko

Hon (Prince) Ned Nwoko

A former member of House of Representatives, Prince Ned Nwoko says the process of getting National University Commission, NUC’s licence for the takeoff of the University of Sports, Technology, Arts and Science, UNISTARS, Idumuje-Ugboko, his country home in Aniocha North local government Area of Delta State have reached advance stage.

Nwoko disclosed this when the newly elected Chairman of the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu led other members of his executives and some members of the union on a courtesy visit to his residence in Idumuje-Ugboko over the weekend.

The erstwhile lawmaker who is the proprietor of the institution, said that the institution would takeoff in the next one year subject to the granting of operational licence by NUC.

Already, the proposed institution has a tourist site which includes a tower of about 100 feet erected one thousand feet above sea level, as well as over one hundred acres of land where other buildings and infrastructure will be sited in place.

Nwoko said that the proposed STARS University in line with NUC guidelines, has a Vice Chancellor and a working committee with a renowned Professor of medicine and Asagba of Asaba as its chairman.

According to him, the duo were working assiduously and are liaising with the NUC to get approval for the institution.

”We have submitted all our applications to NUC. It’s a very important project….I don’t want to start a University without NUC license. They have come here… We are discussing. But I hope that we’ll get the licence this year.

“It is not something we can buy with money. But we will follow the guidelines”, he pointed out.

”We have gotten the land and money required to establish the university in line with NUC guidelines which also stipulates that the land must be in the name of the institution.

“And in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding MOU I signed with the community; the community has forty per cent of the University.

“In accordance with that same MOU, I was asked to compensate all the farmers; which I did. And more importantly, they said if we don’t start the university within five years, the land goes back to the community.

“So, I am happy with all those conditions. And when NUC grants us approval this year, and we start, I will invite all of you as participants”.

“Everything has been done painstakingly over the years. We have design for buildings, roads, water, electricity and so on and so forth. The Masterplan was done by a consultant approved by NUC , and so were all the documents, he added.

Nwoko however said that apart from sports courses, the University will also offer courses in Technology, Arts and Sciences.

”The fact that I said sports based university does not mean we’ll only do sports here. We are doing other conventional courses here. In fact, because we are doing other disciplines, that made NUC to tell us to change the name from the initial Sports University to Stars University which stands for Sports, Technology, Arts and Science ”, he explained.

Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Delta State Council Comrade Mike Ikeogwu said that the visit was to introduce the newly elected executives ofnthr union and also to seek collaboration of the former lawmaker in its activities.

”We have made up our minds that we ‘re going to partner every Deltan; be you the low class, the middle class or a high class, those in government, those in private sector.

“The reason is that Delta State inspites of all the prominent men and women who have made marks in their various endeavours, the state has not been able to tap into those potentials that we have.

“Because if we have been able to maximize the opportunities that the state is blessed with by God, we won’t be where we are. And that is why NUJ Delta as agenda setters and as the fourth Estate of the Realm saddled with the responsibilities of educating, entertaining and informing the public, that we are going to ensure that those who are worthy to be recognised; to be partnered, we will reach out to them, irrespective of where they are ”, he stated.