Governor donates N20m to Engineering faculty, Nasarawa State University

Nasarawa State Gov. Abdullahi Sule has donated N20 million to promote the eventual take-off of Nassarawa State University’s Faculty of Engineering, Keffi.

The money is intended to enable the faculty to take off at the 2020/2021 academic session.

Mr Sule made the donation at the university’s second session of stakeholders in Keffi on Saturday.

He said the establishment of health sciences and engineering faculties would help provide the manpower required to develop the state in these essential fields.

“As an engineer, I cannot leave here without making my commitment for the establishment of the faculty of Engineering.

“I hereby donate the sum of N20 million for the take-off of the faculty of Engineering,” he said.

Mr Sule praised the efforts made by the university’s founding fathers, representatives of the State House of Assembly and other stakeholders to help establish the university.

He also praised the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Suleiman Mohammed, for his university development projects and for organizing the conference to provide solutions to the institution’s problems.

The governor ensured of his ongoing engagement to pay appropriate attention to the university in order to develop an enabling teaching and learning atmosphere for the country’s general growth.

The Speaker of the State Legislature, Ibrahim Abdullahi, praised the Vice Chancellor for organizing the session to address the institution’s problems.

Mr Abdullahi, who was represented by House Deputy Majority Leader Daniel Ogazi, assured the willingness of the assembly to pass legislation and resolutions that would enhance the state’s education standard.

Mr Mohammed said earlier that the institution’s second stakeholder meeting was directed at addressing the university’s problems and unveiling its five-year Action Plan to the public.

“This stakeholders meeting is the second since the inception of the university, this is to present the state of affairs of the university and also my 5-year plan.

“We strongly believe that the decisions to be taken today will promote the university and make it a 21st-century university, which is the dream of the founding fathers of this university,” he said.

Mr Mohammed said his institution’s action plan was based on 12 goals to bring the university to a higher level.

“Briefly, the action plan is built on 12 clear objectives which are improved infrastructural development, institutionalise university culture, strengthen quality research.

“Promote staff and students welfare, address labour-related matters, meet needs of units, departments, centres, directorates, institutes and faculties, establish linkages with other bodies, improve funding, invest in technology solutions for teaching, learning and research.

“Improve standard and quality of academic programmes, address environmental sanitation and landscape through promotion of a green university campus and introduction of new programmes,” he said.

However, as some of the problems facing the university, he recognized impunity, dilapidated infrastructure, and insufficient equipment, insufficient official cars, and insufficient financing.

“Funding challenges have been occasioned by the fact that the university pays 53 per cent (N145m) of staff salary while the state government pays 47 per cent (N129m) of the N274m) total salary bill.

“This has frustrated construction of new structures, limited the ability to rehabilitate existing ones and the establishment of new programmes.”

The vice-chancellor reaffirmed his ongoing dedication to initiating excellent policies and programs that would generate an enabling teaching and learning atmosphere.

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