Ex-DSS DG Donates To UniCal To Fix Potholes

A retired Director General of Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Ita Ekpenyong has presented a cheque to the University of Calabar, through his Foundation, ‘Teacher Essien Ita Itam Educational Trust Fund’ to fix potholes in the institution.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Mr Gersh Henshaw, who presented the cheque to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi in Calabar, said the organization was delighted to identify with the first female Vice Chancellor of the institution, for breaking the jinx, 45 years after.

According to him, with donation, the Foundation was ready to contribute its quota towards the development of the institution, adding that the donation was meant to fix potholes in the institution for easy vehicular movement on campus. 

Henshaw said the Foundation, a non-profit organization, had set up the Trust Fund for such purposes, adding that “under the Fund, scholarships will also be offered to indigent students in tertiary institutions to promote academic excellence across the three senatorial districts of the state.”

He said the donation to the university and the scholarship aspect of the Foundation were activities lined up to mark the anniversary of the wife of the retired DSS DG, Mrs Temitope Ita, who died on March 13, 2019.

While thanking the Vice Chancellor for identifying with them, he said the Foundation was looking forward to exploring other areas of partnership with the institution for mutual benefits. 

Henshaw expressed confidence in the ability of the Vice Chancellor to turn the tide for the good of the institution and urged her not to hesitate to call on the Foundation whenever the need arises.

The retired DG of DSS is an Alumnus of the University of Calabar and was among the first set of students to be admitted into the institution.

Responding, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, thanked the Foundation for the kind gesture, assuring that the money will be put to good use.

Prof. Obi, who described Ekpenyong, son of a legendary teacher, as a “Dependable Friend”of the institution, said posterity will be kind to him for the philanthropic gesture towards the institution and the society at large.

Recalling how he deployed security operatives to stop hoodlums from further destroying the university property during the #EndSARS protest, the Vice Chancellor said, “it is not easy to have people help the University.

“Ita Ekpenyong is a good friend of the university. He has done so much to support us. A call to him, turned things around for us during the #EndSARS protests because the destruction would have been worse than what we saw.

“The money would be put to good use. The potholes will be fixed in a few days,” the VC assured, adding that the institution was looking forward to sustaining the partnership with the Foundation.