The Namibia Economist - Major boost for UNAM Ongwediva campus

Major boost for UNAM Ongwediva campus

Written by Staff Reporters

The University of Namibia’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (IT) at Ongwediva last week received a donation of N$300 000 from the Agricultural Bank of Namibia (AgriBank).

UNAM Vice Chancellor Professor Lazarus Hangula and AgriBank’s Chief Executive Officer, Leonard Iipumbu

The university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Lazarus Hangula, who received the donation, said: “With the mirage of vision 2030 challenging everyone on Namibia’s horizon, Namibia finds itself at the threshold of Socio-economic transformation whereby the country’s institutions, chiefly those in the realm of public sector, need to team up their efforts to create a conducive environment for development to take place. Engineering and IT are admittedly two important catalytic agents of development.”
Hangula acknowledged the donation, which he termed “massive and concrete” and the only one of its kind to be invested in the Engineering and IT faculty of the university. He also urged other Namibian institutions to follow suit.
In line with UNAM’s standing decision, the donation will be used to set up an engineering classroom in the faculty.
“In order to honour the efforts of your Bank in a befitting and lasting manner, the classroom will be called the AgriBank Lecture Room,” said Hangula. “We, at the University are excited about our new ensuing partnership with AgriBank.”
He assured AgriBank that the construction of the Faculty of Engineering and IT building, which began in April, was progressing well with the first intake of students for courses in Electrical, Electronics, Telecommunication Engineering and Mechanical Engineering scheduled for February 2009. AgriBank has pledged N$600 000 which will be paid in two instalments of N$300 000 over the 2008/9 financial year.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Leonard Iipumbu, cited the growth in student enrolment as a reason behind the need to expand the university.
Iipumbu said, “The construction of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at Ongwediva is of necessity and timely.”
He said that AgriBank would continue to support the University of Namibia’s efforts in socio-economic development, by establishing a fully-fledged Faculty of Engineering and IT.
“With the completion of this project, UNAM will be able to train our future leaders and produce scientist that will drive the industrialisation of the country by 2030 and beyond. Government has allocated N$86 million towards the construction of the first phase of this project and UNAM anticipates to enrol about 70 students during 2009,” he said.

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