By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has dismissed claims of planning to dislocate the Ibrahim Babangida University Lapai (IBBUL) with the establishment of the Abdulkadir University in Minna explaining that instead the administration is working towards strengthening the institution to make it one of the best world-class centre of excellence in Nigeria.
The Governor stated this at the opening of a 2 day retreat for members of the IBBUL governing council and other management staff of the university on Tuesday at Maizube farms.
He said, “let me once again dispel the rumour that with the establishment of Abdulkadir University in Minna, Niger state government is working towards dislocating IBBUL . Instead the administration is working towards strengthening this institution and to make it one of the best world-class centre of excellence as contained in its vision”.
According to him, in Niger state, policies on university education are based on the broader framework of the nation’s main policy on education, adding that, “therefore our new retirement policy for academic state is aimed at strengthening at stabilizing the tertiary education system in the state”.
He pointed out that the establishment of the IBBUL about 20 years ago was envisaged to be a transformation of human and material resources of the state for developmental purposes adding that today access to university education in the state has expanded with a hasty but slow move.
He explained that the administration is moving towards greater strategic university governance, adding that, “our quest to turn IBB University into an education centre of excellence in the country remain incontestable”.
In a welcome address, the Vice Councillor of the university, Professor Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, expressed gratitude to the Governor for his unwavering support and commitment to the university and the advancement of education across all levels in the state.
He said that the retreat is aimed at strategic planning by the management of the institution to come out with a new policy towards improving finances of the university and become less dependent of funding from government.
