ABU@60: Minister seeks Alumni forum’s influence to end ASUU strike

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has solicited the influence and strength of the national body of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Alumni to end the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The minister made the appeal during the 16th pre-annual General Assembly lecture organised by the ABU Alumni Association in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the university in Zaria on Friday.

Adamu was represented by Prof. Modibbo Ahmed, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Board of University of Abuja.

He said the association should use its connection and vast influence to convince the academics on the need to shield their sword in the interest of education and national development.

The minister, therefore, enjoined the alumnus to extend the scope of the association to the diaspora to raise more funds for the general development of their university, stressing that government cannot do it alone.

He cited example with sister association in University of Ibadan that supported their alma mata with more than half a million united states dollars recently.

The Executive Secretary, TETfund, Dr Sunday Ochono, said institutions must prepare themselves to become autonomous as government can no longer meet all the funding requirements of tertiary institutions in the country.

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He however stressed the need to put in place necessary infrastructure and facilities for the institution to become self sustain.

The TETfund executive scribe noted that between January and October this year over 607 infrastructures amounting to about N26 billion has been provided in various tertiary institutions.

“These include construction of Senate buildings, Libraries, Hotels, Auditorium and lecture halls, among others,” he explained.

Earlier, Prof. Kabir Bala, the Vice Chancellor, ABU, said the university can boast of having significantly met the developmental needs for which it was established from 1962 to date.

He said a milestone success has been recorded in the production of high-quality graduates and community services in various academic disciplines.

The vice-chancellor, who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed Doko, said “the most advanced universities in the world are sustained through endowment.

“It is an established fact that the Alumni and other educational philanthropists are the backbone of Institutions’ endowments,” he noted.

He cited example with Harvard, Yale and Massachusetts universities that have over 40, 30 and 23 billion dollars, respectively, in their endowments in 2020.

“For instance, every Harvard graduate is encouraged to pay a minimum of 100 dollars annually as their contribution. Additionally, some high net-worth alumni and philanthropists can endow professional chairs or buildings.”

“ABU, with hundreds of thousands of Alumni is favourably positioned to exploit this option,” he said. (NAN)