THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CROSS RIVER UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OBUBRA CAMPUS ON THE RESIDENTS OF OVONUM OBUBRA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF CROSS RIVER STATE.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the socio-economic impact of Cross River University of Technology Obubra Campus on the residents of Ovonum community. Taking into consideration the extent to which the siting of Cross River University of Technology Obubra affected farmland in Ovonum, and the relationship between Cross River University of Technology and the level of development of Ovonum community. Tertiary institutions are established principally to enrich the academic enterprise and enhance the socio-cultural and economic wellbeing of the larger society through applied research. These institutions have been acknowledged as powerful instrument for economic and social transformation of the localities where they are domiciled. Thus, the host communities are viewed as special places since they are availed of tremendous opportunities resulting from the influx of workers, their families and students. To carry out the study the questionnaire is the major instrument of data collection drawn from two hundred and seventyfive (275) respondents which comprises residents, students, civil/public servant in Ovonum community. Findings revealed that the establishment of Cross River University in Ovonum have impacted positively in providing employment opportunities, improved standard of living, infrastructural development, basic social amenities and a host of others for the local populace. However, Ovonum community which is the host of Cross River University of Technology, Obubra Campus is predisposed to unique challenges such as upsurge in crimes of various shades, high cost of living, pressure on available amenities, indecent dressing and clashes between these Institutions and hosts communities which were non-existent prior to the establishment of the institution. Based on these, challenges, the paper recommends among others that to sustain the rapport between "town and "gown, there is the need for increased communication, partnership and goodwill between these institutions and host communities as the gains of this relation are enormous. It was thus recommended among others that; productive youths in Ovonum community should be trained and retrained on skills acquisition so as to reduce their over dependence on white collar jobs