MINNA - VICE Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Minna Niger State, Professor Tukur Sa’ad has called on the Federal Government to force state and local governments to contribute financially to institutions of higher learning located in their domains.
Such financial contributions according to him should come in form of "capitation fees" for members in their domain studying in such institutions and that the fees should be charged based on the number of students from each entity.
According to him, "the way some states and local governments flaunt wealth in public convinces us that it is time they contributed in the funding of education of their citizenry".
The Vice Chancellor who was speaking at the first stakeholders forum: moving the citadel forward, at the permanent cite of the university yesterday observed that most states contribute little or nothing to the development of institutions located in their areas but would want to reap where they have not sown.
According to him, "such states and local governments want to exercise some control on federal institutions in their domain by insisting on high admission quotas, yet many of them are not willing to reciprocate by chipping in their widow’s might in the effort to improve quality of higher education.
Professor Sa’ad remarked that the University which took off with just 250 students in 1983 now has over 14,500 with about 100 staff and still jostling for space and infrastructure at the Bosso temporary site which was designed to optimally accommodate 2,500 students and 500 staff.
He said the university can no longer continue to operate under this condition and promised a gradual relocation to its permanent site along Minna – Kataregi-Bida road as from next academic session.
At the stakeholders forum were representatives of the Niger State governor, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure who was represented by the state commissioner for Education, Alhaji, Usman Gwarjiko, the three former vice chancellors of the university, the Emir, top government functionaries, students and members of the community where the permanent institution is located.
Eleven speakers spoke on different topics relating on the university and the need to relocate to its permanent site.
The stakeholders were later taken round the campus for on the spot assessment of the permanent site.
