Buhari approves new varsities with N5b take-off grant

PRESIDENT Buhari has approved the establishment of two new universities and upgrade of four others specialised in technology and health to close the huge gap in the doctor-patient ratio as well as in medical research and production of pharmaceutical products.

He also approved a take-off grant of N4 billion each for the Universities of Technology and N5 billion each for the Universities of Health Science from the funding resources of TETFund to ensure early take-off of the institutions.

The Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono who disclosed this today in Abuja, said the president approved two additional University of Technology in Jigawa and Akwa Ibom states.

Also, the establishment of National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Abuja and two specialised universities in Health, Nutrition and Medical Sciences to be located at Azare, Bauchi State and Ila Orangun, Osun State.

Echono also disclosed that the president approved that four existing Universities of Technology located in Yola, Akure, Owerri and Minna be upgraded and equipped.

The statement by Echono reads in part: “You will recall that when the President sought the people’s mandate for the office of the President in 2015, he promised to establish an apex national institute of technology in Abuja with six satellite universities of technology in each of the six geo-political zones.

“After a comprehensive review of the policy by key stakeholders in the education sector, it was resolved that the four existing universities of technology located in Yola, Akure, Owerri, and Minna be upgraded while two additional universities of technology to be located in Jigawa and Akwa-Ibom states would be established for the purpose.

“Similarly, a National Institute of Technology shall be established in Abuja to serve essentially as a postgraduate center devoted to research and innovation, drawing the best graduates from the six Universities of Technology as well as other graduates from reputable universities within and outside Nigeria.”

Echono added that the Federal Government had approved the plans of establishing two new Universities of Health, Nutrition and Medical Sciences to be located in Bauchi and Osun State.

He added, “With the report of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, it was noticed that the pandemic exposed the weak institutional capacity of disease control and surveillance in the country.

“With the recent establishment of the only Federal University of Health and the huge gap in doctor-patient ratio as well as in medical research, the government recognized the compelling need to establish two other specialized Universities of Health, Nutrition, and Medical Sciences to be located at Azare, Bauchi State and Ila Orangun, Osun State.

“To ensure the early take-off of these institutions, the President approved a take-off grant of N4 billion each for the Universities of Technology and N5 billion each for the University of Health Sciences.”

Echono said while the new universities will be established in 2021, the upgrade of existing Universities of Technology and the establishment of the National Institute of Technology will come up In 2022.

The Permanent Secretary said the specialised universities would lay a solid foundation for building national preparedness and resilience in anticipation of future challenges in the health sector while reducing medical tourism to countries like India, UAE, Egypt, Europe and the USA.

While noting that the president had promised to establish an apex National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Abuja with six Satellite Universities of Technology, one in each geo-political zone of the country, he said the objective is to stimulate rapid technological transformation of the country.

“The Institute shall be patterned after similar institutions in Singapore and Malaysia to serve essentially as a postgraduate centre devoted to research and innovation, drawing the best graduates from the six Universities of Technology, as well as other exceptional graduates from reputable universities within and outside Nigeria,” he said.

He however noted that the Federal Ministry of Education will collaborate with the Federal Ministries of Health, Science and Technology, Communications and Digital Economy, the FCT Administration as well as other relevant agencies and Institutions to facilitate speedy actualization of these Projects.