Kebbi Government to address ASUU demands in own varsity – Commissioner of Higher Education

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Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Isah Abubakar Tunga

By El-Yakub Dabai, Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Isah Abubakar Tunga on Thursday says Governor Nasir Idris has stepped up practical measures aimed at upholding the educational virtues of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology.

The Commissioner was reacting to a press conference by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the university on some critical issues.

He said the state government would embark on massive infrastructural development in the university, starting with the renovation of 50 houses, while new ones would be constructed within the staff quarters beside additional hostels for students accommodation.

“The press conference by ASUU was hasty, the union chairman should have contacted me for an update on the payment of their consequential adjustment. The memo I submitted to the Governor has been forwarded to the Due Process Office. Immediately the Governor returns from the Hajj, he will give his approval and payment will be effected”, he assured.

He further stated that, “His Excellency has already increased cash allocation to the university from N5 million to N15 million while processes were being finalised to secure N1.5 billion Tetfund for the institutions. N19m was also approved for the inaugural convocation of the graduands in 12 years”.

The Commissioner said the lingering issues in the university was inherited from the previous administration, but Governor Idris had acted swiftly to resolve them especially by approving N40m for the accreditation of courses of the College of Sciences amongst many others.

“The Governor has set up a committee drawn from Higher Education and Health for the conversion of the Kebbi Medical Centre, Kalgo, into a Teaching Hospital for the KSUSTA. Kaura is highly committed to the progress and excellence of the university, basic and tertiary education in Kebbi”, the Commissioner stressed.

Speaking on security breaches, he explained that the incident of the kidnap of a lecturer happened inside Aliero Town and not in the university campus, while the threat of assassination against another academic staff took place outside the university gate as the lecturer went to seek for shelter under a shed during rainfall during which he was confronted by two strangers.