Consolidating Our Educational Gains
Speech of His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu, Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, at the Inauguration of the Governing Council of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Monday, 28TH February, 2005
When we took the decision in the year 2000 to set up a University for the state, we did so with the clear vision of establishing a world class academic institution which will train our young men and women in the arts and sciences of learning. Every action we have taken in the process of establishing, funding and constituting the management of the university has been towards attaining this objective. It is therefore with a sense of fulfillment and gratitude to God that we perform another action aimed at consolidating our gains in the educational sector and solidifying the management of the Nasarawa State University.
The Governing Council is the highest decision-making body of the University charged with fashioning policy for the daily management of the University, including its relations with the outside world.
Bearing in mind the enormous responsibilities of the Council, Government deliberately considered and appointed people of very high integrity and eminence to administer the affairs of this young University, which we are pleased to note, is already making waves in the education sector in Nigeria.
Nasarawa State University is the product of a positive vision and commitment to the educational advancement of this disadvantaged State on the one hand, and the dire need to lay a solid foundation for a reliable manpower base for the development of the State and the country at large. Events in the last few years can attest to the fact that Government did not make a mistake when it took the decision of establishing the University amidst criticisms and pessimism by some interest groups within the state. Their reservations were based on the premise that the state could not fill her quota in existing universities and tertiary institutions around the country.
We reasoned to the contrary because we had gone ahead to commence a total reform of the education sector in the state before conceiving of establishing the university. This project began with a complete reorganization of primary schools by the Ara declaration of June 23, 1999. The main objective of the Ara project, amongst others, was to increase the numeracy and literacy levels amongst graduates of our primary schools. Immediately we launched this project, we received support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which saw through our project profile and supported its implementation through the LEAP programme. Under the Ara project, we built blocks of classrooms in every electoral ward in the state and ensured that adequate equipment and manpower were available for a conducive learning environment. Existing structures were renovated and a compulsory school enrollment scheme was launched to boost school attendance.
At the secondary school level, we recruited experienced teachers from across the country and gave incentives to all teachers at that level for increased productivity. We established close to 170 new secondary schools with adequate laboratories across the state and employed staff to instruct our students. In just one year of commencing our reorganization programme, Nasarawa state came first in the final year NECO examinations. With this result, we were faced with a huge number of qualified candidates who were seeking university admission. Thus from a beginning in which there were doubts about our ability to fill our quotas in national universities, we now have a situation where available spaces are inadequate for the number of qualified candidates.
The reality of our achievements in this noble endeavour has thus forced those who did not see the university as a priority to have a rethink. We now have broad based support for the university amongst the people of the state. The University is witnessing steady growth in the main and Pyanku campuses at Keffi and the Faculty of Agriculture at Lafia. With the governing council now being put in place, we expect that the establishment of other key units of the University will be expatiated.
In constituting this Council, I wish to mandate the Chairman and members of council to expand the university so as to ensure that our teeming youths who continue to perform brilliantly at the school certificate examinations do not roam the streets of our cities aimlessly. New courses and programmes should be established to enable the university accommodate those who are qualified but could not secure admission into other tertiary institutions in the country. In doing this however, Council should not depart from the original conception of the university which is to build a university that will emphasize on mining and geosciences in view of our rich solid mineral base and with bias in the fields of the core sciences, information technology and business management. The remedial studies programme on the other hand, should be geared towards preparing those of our indigenous students with minor deficiencies for admission into the various degree programmes of the University.
I wish to assure the people of Nasarawa State that Government will continue to sustain its commitment to education at all levels in keeping with the manifesto of our party – the PDP. This is exemplified by our continued annual budgetary allocation of up to 28% of total fiscal appropriation to education in consonance with United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) standards.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, permit me to formally congratulate these men and women of honour whom we have carefully chosen to consolidate our efforts to develop this university into a world class institution of learning. A cursory look at the caliber of persons who have agreed to serve on the governing council reveals our line of thinking on how the university should develop in the next few years. The line-up of the members of the Council leaves us in no doubt that the team is more than capable of achieving our vision of making the Nasarawa State University the best among its peers in the country.
At this juncture, permit me to pay tribute to the Chancellor of the University, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Chindo Yamusa II, Emir of Keffi, for agreeing to bring his wealth of education, administration and cultural experience to bear in managing the University. We are also delighted that Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, a man of international standing and exposure, and a product of the prestigious Imperial University, has accepted to serve as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council. Government decision to request him to serve as Chairman of Council is to take advantage of his numerous international connections to introduce exchange programmes between our university and other world class universities around the world. We are sure that you will bring these international connections to bear in the management of our university as well as with international funding agencies. Other members of the University council have been chosen in cognizance of their expertise in varied fields of endeavour. We are convinced, through a detailed study of the backgrounds of council members, that we have constituted a council that would concretely take our university to the next pedestal of development. We thank you for agreeing to share our vision for a world class university with us. Together with you, we are sure that we are laying a lasting and enduring foundation for the manpower development of Nasarawa State in particular, Nigeria and the world, at large.
I will like take a few minutes to pay tribute to the foundation management and students of the university led by the erudite Professor Adamu Baikie for creating the conducive atmosphere under which the university commenced classes in the year 2000. While not denying the daunting challenges faced at the beginning, both staff and students rose up to the occasion and there was no threat of strikes, rancour or violence. The Academic Staff Union (ASUU) should also be commended for the high level of understanding they have exhibited in their discussions with government and university management. The praises and laurels the university is receiving are a testimony of high-level cooperation between management and component units of the university. Government thanks every section of the university which ensured that the university took off inspite of various challenges and sustaining it through many rough times. The fruits of your efforts will be known to the whole world when at the end of the current academic session, the first set of students will be graduating from the university. As a compliment to your efforts, government will ensure the completion of the university convocation square before the end of 2005.
In conclusion, I wish to assure council of continuous funding and other support required to make the university one of the best in the country.
On this note, it is my singular honour and privilege to formally inaugurate the Governing Council of the Nasarawa State University Keffi.
Thank you all and may God continue to bless our efforts.
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