Olukayode Babalola
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has inaugurated some key projects at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), aimed at improving working and learning conditions.
Gambari inaugurated the projects, funded by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) through its 2020 TETfund Special High Impact Project Intervention at the main campus in Keffi Local Government Area and at Gudi Campus in Akwanga Local Government Area of the state on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the projects included the University Senate Building at the Main Campus, Keffi and the Central Engineering Workshop, Faculty of Engineering at the Gudi Campus.
Gambari also inaugurated the World Health Organization/Uniklinikum Institute of Molecular Diagnostic and Infectious Disease Control, Keffi Centre, remodelled by Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
Gambari lauded the management of the institution and TETFund for initiating and funding the projects.
He added that the feat had the capacity and the spiral effect of stabilising the university to focus on its core mandate of teaching, research and community development.
He also applauded the Nasarawa Government, under the leadership of Abdullahi Sule, for the contributions made and those it continued to make to the growth and development of the university.
“I am happy to learn that Gov. Abdullahi Sule has recently approved the establishment of the faculty of engineering and the college of medicine and health sciences, in addition to taking over the payment of staff salaries,” he added.
Gambari also lauded TETfund for proving to be a strong collaborator and a critical partner in providing strategic infrastructure to Public Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria.
Also speaking, Governor Abdullahi Sule who is also the Visitor to the institution lauded the university management and TETfund for the success of the projects and several other projects they collaborated, by putting in place critical infrastructure in the university.
He added that with more support, NSUK would in future be one of the best tertiary institutions in the country.
Prof. Suleiman Bala-Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, NSUK, also appreciated TETfund for the funding of the projects.
He appealed for more support in the construction of students’ hostels and fencing of the campus, to provide security for staff, students and learning facilities.
“Your intervention in these areas will significantly reduce the exposure of our students to heightened insecurity outside the campuses,” he said.
Bala-Mohammed also reeled out other challenges facing the institution to include inadequate vehicles for use by students during field surveys, inadequate offices for staff, unpaved road networks and porous nature of the campuses.
Mr Sunny Echono, Executive Secretary, TETfund, said aside the projects in NSUK, TETfund had about 273 similar projects ready to be inaugurated in institutions across the country.
“We at TETfund are working assiduously to ensure that we complete additional 315 projects and commission them before the end of this administration.
“This level of achievement is as a result of the direct consequence of the support we are receiving from President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.
He commended the management of the university for assiduously monitoring and ensuring the delivery of the projects.
He said the projects were expected to ease the work and operation in a more conducive environment. (NAN)
