Greenfield University and Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has signed a memoranda of understanding which analysts say would be a catalyst for industrial and technological development of both organizations and the country at large.
The MOU which was signed at the Senate Chamber of the University at Kasarami had in attendance the Director General of DICON, Major General Victor Okwudili Ezugwu Okudili,Director of Operations, Director of Legal matters, Human Resources Manager and the Public Relations Officer of DICON.
Speaking, the Founder and Pro chancellor of Greenfield University, Engr. Simon Nwakacha, thanked the DG,DICON for his untiring efforts, kind supporting role and foresight in seeing the actualization of the occasion.
Engr Nwakacha said that Greenfield University is the only first private approved university in Kaduna and was licensed since 2019 and it has commenced academic activities since.
The Pro chancellor revealed that the vision of the institution is to be the best in terms of teaching, learning, research and development, service to the community and the nation .
He further explained that the university is aiming to be an engineering and technologically driven institution which was also in line with the visions of the founding fathers who were engineers themselves.
Engr Nwakacha prayed that the visit by the DG of DICON would open more doors of opportunities and collaboration in areas that were not captured in the MOU.
On his own part, the Director General of DICON, Maj Gen Victor Ezugwu Okwudili commended the Founder and Pro chancellor for coming up with such a magnificent, technology based and worldclass institution.
He noted that the consummation of the memorandum of understanding between the institution and his corporation would produce a wonderful opportunity for both organizations and would also benefit the nation.
Gen Ezugwu said, “while one the institutions is an emerging citadel of excellence in the academia, the other is the only defence industry corporation that the country has.
“When academia and defence experts meets together, you guess what the results would be .We are very grateful to Engr, Chief Nwakcha for inviting us to that s great institution to formalise our MOU .
“For us in DICON,we are open to a lot of result oriented relationship in terms of having a collaboration that would lead to improve defence production in Nigeria.
The DICON also noted that the MOU which is coming at the time that he is championing local content usage in the corporation would also make it possible for him to work with Greenfield University in the areas of sourcing local contents and producing local engineers
” i am championing the local content defence in Nigeria and I am happy that this MOU is coming at a time where we are looking inward to look for partners and stakeholders that would help us in innovation and production of defence related equipments and raw materials and other support locally within Nigeria .
Ezugwu said the dream of DICON is to see a situation where it can source70 per cent of local materials for the production of military hardware for the armed forces from within the country hence he was excited about the MoU between GFU and DICON.
To this end, the DG said that Defence Industry corporation Of Nigeria would avail the following laboratories to Greenfield University for research, learning, and acquiring the needed expertise.
The laboratories includes, Chemical laboratory, Mechanical laboratory andMetallurgical testing laboratory.
He further assured the management of Greenfield University of the resolve of the DICON to help grow the institution to one of the best in Nigeria .
The DICON boss chief also added that, “I can assure you that we will open all our doors and Windows to fast track the process of making this (Greenfield university) institution a great institute.
“The greatest gift we can give yo you is our Research and Development Centre , where I know that we have some array of laboratories, very well established chemical laboratory, mechanical laboratory .
“We have our metallurgical testing laboratory because we deal with a lot of solid materials that would require physical sciences, and engineering department
“We are going to open up these laboratories for you so that even if you don’t have a laboratory here (Greenfield University), I can assure that you can that you have a laboratory in what we have in DICON.
He went ahead with what the University stands to benefit from DICON, “We have a material testing laboratory, all the diagnosis you re going to do on all the materials -why materials fails, why materials succeeds , the strength of materials, anything you want to do here (GNU) and you can’t afford it ,please , we have one of the best in Nigeria in DICON and it would be avail to you .
Speaking to his guest, the Army General also said explained that there would be further synergy between the Corporation and Institution when the DICON Trainng Institute materializes adding that , DICON would need the expertise and resources of the lecturers from the educational institution while DICON would also avail GFU with the training facility.
He finally rounded up by announcing the setting up an endowment foundation for the best graduating student from GFU who would produce a good research work in military production and technology.
Gen Ezugwu assured that the foundation which would be credited with the sum of N200,00 and it would be annual award .
He also assured that graduates from GFU would be employed in DICON.
With the signing of the MOU, analysts in the educational sector have posited that Greenfield University is set to be one of the best institution in the North if not in Nigeria .