Niger Not Aware of IGR by Its Tertiary Institutions

Laleye Dipo In Minna

Niger State Government has disclosed that it does not know how much its tertiary institutions generate since such income is not paid into any of the government account.

The state funds the IBB University in Lapai; the College of Education in Minna, the Schools of Nursing in Bida and Minna; the College of Agriculture in Mokwa, and three other tertiary institutions.

The state Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, said this when he received the heads of tertiary institutions in the state at the government house, and therefore, urged the heads of the institutions “to be financially disciplined and transparent, since what your institutions generate is not known to the government.”

Bago also challenged the institutions to look for alternative means of funding, advising that they should source for funds from donor agencies to execute their projects and programmes, as he pointed out that the institutions should not wait for the government to give them money, but should be innovative in initiating projects and activities that would bring money to their institutions.

The governor disclosed that his administration would reform the state scholarship scheme to make it more “effective”, but maintained that only indigenes of the state will benefit from the scholarship.

He also said the institutions should work with their academic unions to ensure peaceful academic environment on the campuses, saying they should appeal to their conscience by not embarking on any form of strike.

Bago disclosed that the government would establish another school of nursing, which will take off within the next 18 months, saying the old state secretariat and judiciary complex will accommodate the proposed school in Minna.

The governor also disclosed that his administration would work with the state College of Agriculture in Mokwa to introduce a farming policy for civil servants under which workers will be given N500,000 to cultivate at least one hectare of land each, saying the agricultural loan will be repaid when they sell their harvests.

In their remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tertiary Education Science and Technology, Dr. Musa Abubakar Sadeeq, and the Provost, College of Education Minna, Professor Yakubu Auna, congratulated the governor on his inauguration, and prayed for God’s guidance throughout his tenure.