Niger State House Committee on Education has interacted with the Management of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai over the recently announced new fees regime for undergraduates students of the Institution.
The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Honourable Suleiman Umaru Gambo representing Paikoro constituency, while welcoming the Management Team of IBB University, Lapai to the interaction session, stated that Members in the State Assembly considered the issue of new fees regime announced by the State’s highest Tertiary Institution as a matter of urgent public importance during the plenary sitting of number 31, held on Thursday, 5th August, 2021.
He said that the interface was necessary in view of serious concerns the issue of recently reviewed fees by the University has generated, which he pointed out if not properly managed by critical stakeholders could degenerate to situation that would not be favourable to the entire state.
The Chairman stated that, although the House was not unaware of funding challenges bedeviling the Institution; emphasised that there was the need for an interface so as to revisit the issue again with a view to arriving at particular fees that would be favourable to all the stakeholders.
Honourable Gambo commended the developmental feats of the University in terms of quality research and academic programme, which he underscored was giving the State a good image.
The Chairman re-emphasised that IBB University, Lapai is a pride to Nigerlites and every efforts must be made to ensure its sustainability.
He also assured the University Management of all the legislative support the Institution requires to enable her compete favourably with its peers the world over.
There were valuable comments, questions and contributions by other members of the Committee, particularly with an appeal for the University Management to consider reviewing the fees a bit downward that could be acceptable by the stakeholders of the Institution.
In his response, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abu Kasim Adamu explained that the increase in the fees had become necessary in view of some prevailing realities facing the Institution in terms of more and sustainable funding.
He added that the University requires more resources to meet the emerging infrastructural and right caliber human capital challenges for it to produce graduate that could compete favourably with their peers at the International labour market.
Professor Adamu also pointed out that the University was steadily developing despite limited resources; stressing that with recently mounted undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, more funding is required than ever before.
He explained that the Management was aware of the current difficult economic situation but appealed to parents, guardians, students and the general public to join hands with the University Management so as to take it to lofty heights.
He expressed appreciation to the Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Suleiman Umaru Gambo and members of his Committee and indeed all House members for the opportunity to present to the House challenges facing the University.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Academic), Associate Professor Muhammad Aliyu Paiko, while contributing said that the University lacked adequate funding and has to look inwards.
He explained that the State Government was doing its best to the University but was constrained by its numerous competing statutory demands.
Dr Paiko appealed for greater support to the University to enable her realise its noble objectives.
The Registrar in his words of appreciation, thanked the Chairman House Committee on Education and members of his Committee as well as the entire members of State House Assembly for considering it worthwhile to interface with University Management on issues bothering the development of the only State University.
He pledged that the University Management would continue to partner the State House of Assembly for the growth of the Institution.
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