Niger State governor, Alhaji Umaru Bago has ordered the inclusion of N20 billion in the State’s 2024 budget for the take-off of the state university of education.
Making the disclosure Saturday in Minna, the Governor, while inaugurating the committee saddled with the responsibility for the take-off of the university said the new university of education would operate side-by-side with the state college of education in Minna.
“I have directed that N20 billion be included in the 2024 budget for the take-off of the Niger State University of Education,” he said while urging the committee to do away with bureaucratic judgement in discharging its duties.
Governor Bago gave the terms of reference of the committee to include the development of a transition programme for the full take-off of the university and also charged them with a duty to determine the financial and infrastructural requirements by the extant rules of the university laws as well as that of the National University Commission, NUC.
The Governor further mandated the committee to articulate project development implementations that would require community and private sector participation and ordered the committee to determine new prospects for manpower requirements for the university and fill in the gap for the state college of education by the master plan, among others.
He explained that the take-off of the university of education would not prevent the College of Education (COE) Minna, from running its own programmes, while operating under the university and that his administration’s plan is to make the state a hub of education.
He said that proposals are also on for the establishment of the University of Agriculture, Mokwa, the University of Energy and Renewable Energy, Shiroro, as well as the University of Medicine in Suleja.
On his part, Prof Mohammed Yahaya, Chairman of the committee and former Secretary to the State Government, appreciated the governor for finding them worthy to serve and promised to work diligently to ensure that the university becomes one of the best in the country.
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