From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida has
assured the management of Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) of state government intervention on their land dispute, transportation challenges as well as acute hostels for their students.
He also commended the Management of the Federal University Birnin-Kebbi for maintaining high academic standards despite many operational challenges.
Tafida stated this when the Management of FUBK led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar paid him courtesy visit in his Office.
He expressed the State Government concern over the problems of transportation, hostel facilities and land dispute affecting the University.
Deputy Governor who assured that these would be forwarded to the Governor for intervention and solution, stressed the need for the institution to maintain open channel of communication with the State Government and continue to have cordial relationship with the host community, as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Zayyanu Umar told the Deputy Governor that the Federal University which was set-up in 2013 is planning its first Convocation of 5 sets of graduands before the end of this year.
He said the institution which has over 8,000 students with 70 percent of them from Kebbi State, is facing challenges such as acute shortage of transportation system, hostel facilities, power supply and non-payment of parcel of land with its host community.
He, therefore, appealed to the State Government to support the University towards hosting its very first combined Convocation coming up before the end of the year.
Umar said inadequate transport is seriously affecting the University which is located 15 kilometres from Birnin Kebbi township, adding that only four buses jointly donated by Tetfund, Zamfara State Government and former Chief of Army Staff are presently serving the students of the institution.
The Vice Chancellor implored the State Government to come to the aid of the University with additional buses especially now that the rainy season is fast approaching. He also urged the State Government to help in alleviating the
acute shortage of hostel facilities, as well as interventions on settlement of land dispute with the host community to enable the University to put some development projects in the area.
Highlights of the visit was the presentation of published materials of the University to the Deputy Governor by the Vice Chancellor and group photography