The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 19 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for Caleb University effective from the current academic session.

Caleb University’s former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, disclosed this at the 10th inaugural lecture held at the institution’s multipurpose hall in Imota, Lagos, on February 6.

Incidentally, the lecture titled: “The Accounting Equation and Nigeria’s Unequated Socio-economic Development: Why we are the way we are,” delivered by a Professor of Accounting and Taxation, Barine Micheal Nwidobie, was Owen-Ibie’s last official assignment as Caleb University’s vice-chancellor.

The new programmes are:

• B.Sc. Broadcasting
• B.Sc. Journalism and Media Studies
• B.Sc. Film and Multimedia Studies
• PGD, M.Sc., M.Phil. and PhD in Industrial Chemistry
• PGD, M.Sc, M.Phil., and PhD in Criminology and Security Studies
• M.Sc. and PhD in Microbiology
• PGD, M.Sc., M.Phil. and PhD in Cyber Security

The former VC commended Prof. Nwidobie for his hardwork over the years.

On his part, the inaugural lecturer identified challenges to investment in Nigeria, including insecurity, ineffective judiciary, infrastructure deficit, corruption, microeconomic volatility, policy uncertainty, and market access.

“Institutional corruption is now endemic in the country and scuttles transparency and accountability in government. This threatens trust and investment,” he stated.

He also recommended measures to pull Nigeria out of its current economic doldrums.

These are the adoption of the principles of the accounting equation in all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), stimulation of the effects of proposed fiscal, industrial, import, and export policies in the national accounting equation to ascertain and mitigate potential negative effects and enhance the positive effects of the country’s socio-economic activities, among others.

The inaugural lecture held at the multipurpose hall in Imota, Lagos, was attended by the principal officers, family, and friends of the inaugural lecturer, the academic staff, and other members of the university community.