Gombe set to revive state varsity through foreign partnership

The Gombe State University of Science and Technology (GSUST) was established in 2017 by the administration of former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in Kumo town of Akko Local Government Area. The institution was approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on August 21, 2017 as the second state-owned university in the state. It became the […]

The Gombe State University of Science and Technology (GSUST) was established in 2017 by the administration of former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in Kumo town of Akko Local Government Area.

The institution was approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on August 21, 2017 as the second state-owned university in the state.

It became the third university in the state, in addition to the Gombe State University (GSU) and the Federal University, Kashere (FUK).

According to the then administration, the university was conceived to provide quality tertiary education in the area of science and technology and make it accessible and affordable to indigenes of the state.

Over N6 billion was expended on the construction of the state-of-the-art modern structures cited on over 150 hectares of land in Kumo, about 40 kilometres from Gombe, the state capital.

The edifice was commissioned on May 28, 2019, just a day to the expiration of Governor Dankwambo’s tenure, in a grand ceremony attended by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, alongside many important dignitaries and other traditional rulers within and outside the state.

All principal officers, including academic and non-academic staff, were appointed and admission was granted to hundreds of students to pursue a five-year degree programme in science and technology.

 

However, after the fanfare of the commissioning ceremony, the institution couldn’t properly take off as it became a liability to the government due to dwindling revenue.

When Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya assumed office, he terminated the appointments of both the academic and non-academic staff, leaving only principal officers.

However, in a move to save that huge investment from being wasted, the state government recently entered into a public-private partnership (PPP) with a Malaysian university to revive academic activities in the university.

The PPP agreement was signed between the Lincoln University of Malaysia and the Gombe State Government in an elaborate ceremony held at the premises of the school.

The event was witnessed by many high-profile sons and daughters of the state, including Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ambassador Hajara Ibrahim Salim; Emir of Akko, Umar Ahmad Atiku; Mai Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammad, an engineer; former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar and members of the State Executive Council, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The secretary to the state government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi presided over the signing. Governor Yahaya signed on behalf of the state government while the founder and president of the Lincoln University, Professor Amiya Bhaumik signed for his institution.

A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) obtained by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that within the plan, Lincoln University College would establish six new faculties, including medical sciences, to provide Dentistry, Nursing, Medicine and Surgery programmes.

The faculties will offer 21 first degrees, 18 master’s degrees, six PhDs and two other certificate courses, totaling 47 programmes to be run in the school.

It also stated that Gombe State’s entitlement to profits accrued from the 30-year partnership would be 10 per cent, 20 per cent and 30 per cent, corresponding to the first, second and third 10 years of operation respectively.

It was learnt that the rest would extensively be used for earmarked developments and running of school affairs.

On staffing, the MoU stated that the indigenes would be offered 25 per cent of all academic staff positions. For the non-academic cadre, 70 per cent ratio would be for state indigenes.

Also, on admission of students, indigenes of the state will be offered 20 per cent.

It stated that in respect of school fees, students from the state would enjoy up to 50 per cent cost reduction to encourage them to partake in the would-be state-of-the- art learning centre.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Yahaya described the signing of the PPP agreement as historic, saying the university would generate revenue to sustain itself.

He said, “My administration thought it is wise to engage a reputable, experienced and capable private educational investor to participate in the management and development of learning and research activities in this institution, in accordance with current global science and technological innovations for competitive and competence skills acquisition for our graduates.”

“Lincoln University College accepted our proposal to run the institution on PPP arrangement for 30 years at the first instance.”

He said the agreement would strengthen the curriculum and extracurricular activities of the institution to international standard and best practices as demonstrated by the Lincoln University College for students’ excellent knowledge and skills development for self-reliance and nation building.

“It will also ensure the provision of adequate funding, continuous infrastructural maintenance, development of facilities and services within the institute. This is part of our vision to provide sound education to our teeming youths for productive and capital development,” he said.

On his part, the president and founder of Lincoln University College, Professor Amiya Bhaumik, said the university would start with medical science courses because of the irrefutable fact that health is wealth. He expressed the hope that residents of Gombe could take advantage of the opportunity to place Nigeria on the global map.

Bhaumik disclosed that September 2022 had been slated to kick-start academic activities, and called for support from all and sundry to actualise the dream. 

“I am here, not for profit or loss, but to seek your prayers and support. Lincoln University will deliver quality education to bridge the inflow of Nigerian students to Malaysia and other countries to study,” he said.

The deputy director of administration in the NUC, Mr Chris Maiyaki, said the commission would support every move to make the take-off of the university a huge success.

The speaker of the state Gombe State House of Assembly, Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo, assured that the lawmakers would support the university with enabling legislation that would guarantee its smooth take-off.

Speaking on behalf of the host community, a former minister of the FCT, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, commended the governor for bringing life to the institution.

He assured of the support of the people of Akko Emirate and the entire Akko Local Government Area towards the actualisation of the project.

Some educationists told Daily Trust on Sunday that the PPP agreement with the Malaysian university was a positive development that would see the resuscitation of the university.

A lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the Federal University, Kashere (FUK), Malam Abubakar Uba, said that all over the world, universities were provided mainly as research institutions, unlike in Nigeria where politicians establish them as political achievement.

“It is very common in Nigeria to find a state which lacks the capacity to effectively fund the activities of even a single faculty building two or three universities, just to score a political point.

“This is part of the reasons why, as at today, not even a single Nigerian university is amongst the top 1,000 in the world.

“Governor Yahaya understood the financial requirements of running a university, viz-a-viz its importance to the overall development of his people and he chose the best possible way to hit two birds with a single stone,” he said.

According to him, Lincoln University College, Malaysia is renowned research institute with many campuses across the world. And it has the capacity to sustain its activities, thus lifting the burden from the shoulders of the state government.

Uba added, “With the current arrangement, the people of Gombe State stand to benefit in so many ways, from accessing world class educational facilities at our doorstep, securing employment for our teeming youths, to working with renowned academics, which is sure to enhance our people’s research skills etc.

He said the state government also stood to benefit, both directly and indirectly through profits, taxes, elevation of educational status and grants from mega international agencies.