By Dauda R Pam Maiduguri
Borno State GOVERNOR, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has advised the Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, to be bold enough and open up by stating the problems affecting the institution as he engages with the Presidential visitation panel to the institution.
This was contained in a press statement issued by Special Adviser Media, Mallam Isa Umar Gusau, to the Governor BABAGANA UMARA ZULUM, Thursday, when he played host to the presidential visitation panel at the Government house, to assess financial management and administration of the university.
The team was to, also assess the overall condition of teaching, learning, and research in the varsity as well as to look at the school’s physical infrastructure, laboratories and other academic activities, in line with laws establishing universities in Nigeria.
According to the statement, the presidential panel which was led by the former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, was accompanied by members of the UNIMAID’s governing council including the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aliyu Shugaba.
“Please do not hide anything to them (the panel). It is better to open our wound, so that our problems can be addressed”, Zulum said to the VC.
“Some of the deficiencies can be addressed by the State Government, while some by the Federal Government. University of Maiduguri belongs to all of us. Those that are learning in the university are our own children. It is only for those who don’t know, that will think the State has no say on what happens at Federal universities located in States” the Governor added.
Governor Zulum, a former student of UNIMAID before becoming a lecturer and acting Dean in the Faculty of Engineering, decried poor conditions of equipment, and facilities which included laboratories and workshops.
He assured the panel of state government commitment to fully participate and render all the necessary support during the period of their assignment and urged the management of the university of Maiduguri to work on a development plan.
“As small as my former institution, the Ramat polytechnic, Maiduguri.
When I was appointed as the Rector, after taking over the mantle of leadership, the first thing I did was to develop short, medium, and long term strategic plans. I and my team focused on the short term goals.
When we left the polytechnic after three and a half years, we were able to achieve items on the short term plan, which was the rehabilitation of staff quarters.
We were able to rehabilitate all the existing classes, provided additional classes that can accommodate students for the next 10 years before we left” Zulum said.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the panel, Professor Abubakar commended Governor Zulum for providing a desired leadership in Borno.
“Your Excellency, we are very proud of you. We know you are interested in the development of Borno State.
UNIMAID is the pioneer and leading university in the whole of the region and we will do whatever we can, and I will open up to you on our findings at a different platform. So far, we have seen progress” Prof. Hafiz said.
The leader of the panel said Nigerian laws guiding the establishment of universities stipulates assessment visits are done every five years but the last exercise was carried out early 2011, covering 2004 to 2010.
He explained that the current exercise will cover a ten-year period and the panel is expected to submit two separate five year reports covering 2011 – 2015 and 2016 – 2020.
The report would identify problems and recommend ways to improve effectiveness and efficiency in the university.
