By Our Correspondent
Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda and some stakeholders in the State have thrown their weight behind a move by the Senate to transform Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, into a conventional one.
Support from Yuguda and other stakeholders for the university conversion were expressed during a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.
The committee chaired by Sen. Muntari Dandutse (APC-Katsina), organised the public hearing to get inputs of stakeholders into the proposed legislation.
In his submission at the public hearing , Yuguda, also a former Minister of Aviation said any person against the move to convert the University to a conventional one, is not fair to the people of Bauchi State and its environs.
This, he said is going by difficulties being faced by university knowledge seekers on courses not yet to be run by the university.
“Any person that is against running the university into a conventional university is not being fair.
“I knew what I suffered to get ATBU to run medicine. Today we have over 100 medical doctors. And today you are sitting here and say it should not be run as a conventional university?
“I am an economics graduate; an accountant. And if economics is not run in ATBU, why can’t I fight for them to have economics.
“There are so many subjects, science subjects, art subjects, that are not being run but are needed ” he said.
However, the branch chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Haruna Angulu said the union was opposed to the amendment as contained in their position paper.
“Our position is very clear. In an era where the world is going technological, what is expected is additional funding in order to make the existing specialised university of technology effective, rather than making it conventional”.
He said the University of Technology, ATBU, Bauchi is the only university of technology existing within the north-east.
Earlier in his key note address, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio said as representatives of the Nigerian people, it is their responsibility to ensure that every legislation affecting national institutions is examined thoroughly and enriched with the insights of those who understand the issues best.
“Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University has, over the decades, served as an important centre of excellence in science, technology, research and innovation.
“However, the university like many of our public institutions has evolved far beyond the frameworks envisioned when its enabling Act was first enacted.
“I urge all stakeholders present, academics, administrators regulators, students, civil society groups, and development partners to engage constructively”, he said.
Chairman of the Committee, Sennator Danduts, in his opening remarks, said the hearing was designed to ensure that the amendment bill benefited from the collective wisdom of all relevant institutions and individuals.
“Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University has, over the decades, evolved into a significant centre of learning and technological development.
“As the university expands in structure, programmes, and responsibilities, certain provisions in the existing Act have become inadequate in addressing its present realities.
“The amendment bill seeks to update and strengthen the institutional governance framework and clarify the roles and responsibilities of key officers of the university.
“The Senate’s move aimed at broadening academic offerings to include more arts, social sciences and humanities programmes has sparked intense debate among academics, students, policymakers and industry experts”, he said.
