By Asuquo Cletus
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Professor Francisca Bassey, has flagged off the institution’s maiden Staff Week, lauding the dedication and collective effort of staff towards the university’s ongoing transformation.
The four-day event, which commenced on Thursday, July 31 and runs through Sunday, August 3, 2025, brings together both academic and non-academic staff in a first-of-its-kind gathering aimed at promoting wellness, unity, and institutional pride.
Addressing staff members, faculty heads, and invited guests at the university’s cafeteria yesterday, Professor Bassey described the occasion as “a historic milestone in the life of our young university,” emphasizing that staff welfare remains at the heart of the administration’s development agenda.
“No institution can grow beyond the capacity, morale, and unity of its workforce,” Bassey said. “This celebration is about you your health, your welfare, your achievements, and your future.”
The Staff Week features a variety of activities including medical checkups, health and wellness talks, fitness sessions, staff rallies, interactive forums, and social engagements all tailored to enhance staff well-being and strengthen professional camaraderie across departments.
The Vice Chancellor also praised the various arms of the university registries, faculties, directorates, and units for their role in recent achievements such as digital reforms, infrastructural growth, improved student relations, and academic expansion.
She added that the current administration remains committed to improving work conditions, offering more training opportunities, promoting inclusiveness in decision-making, and fostering a culture of gratitude and shared responsibility.
“Let this week renew your strength and dedication to service,” she urged. “The future of this university depends on the dedication of its people.”
Bassey expressed optimism that the event would become a permanent fixture on the university’s calendar, citing its long-term benefits for institutional performance, staff motivation, and global visibility.
The highlight of the week was an award and dinner night ceremony held at Hogis Hotel, where deserving staff across various departments and directorates were recognised for outstanding service, dedication, innovation, and excellence in different categories
The ceremony concluded with a call for continued cooperation between staff and management to reposition the University of Cross River State as a center of excellence and innovation in Nigeria’s higher education landscape.
