The governor of JIGAWA State, Umar Namadi, has spoken out against giving the country’s universities autonomy, arguing that doing so may prevent many people from receiving a university degree.
He specifically argued that giving institutions autonomy could result in excessive tuition costs, prohibiting some people from obtaining an education at a university.
The Jigawa State governor advocated for ongoing government financial investments in the country’s universities on Thursday evening when he made what he called a “solidarity courtesy call” on the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono.
Governor Namadi stated that while universities already had some autonomy, it would not be appropriate at this time to give them complete autonomy.
The governor maintained that present government interventions must continue, explaining that he came visiting TETFund not only to thank the fund for all of its interventions in different tertiary institutions in his state but also to ask for further support.
“The law has been passed giving them the power to choose their vice chancellors, meaning that they are semi-autonomous. Autonomy is good but the question is which kind of autonomy? Are you looking for administrative autonomy? Are you looking for financial autonomy? They are two different things.
” So, if you are looking for total autonomy, well I think it may not be right enough at this moment, because by the time you say all universities should be autonomous, I’m sure you cannot be able to afford even school fees for your children. So, I think this is not the right time. The interventions that are coming from state governments and from the federal government to universities, I think we need to continue with these.”
He recalled that, “Recently, the universities took a step further by increasing a little bit of their school fees and the cry over that is all over the country that the school fees are high.”
” Now, what more if we say okay, be autonomous and finance yourself? How do they finance themselves, it’s from the school fees. So, I think it’s not the right time at this time, “he added.
He explained that his mission to TETFund was to “thank TETFund for all the interventions that they have given to us in terms of infrastructure and human capital developments.”
“The fund has given us sufficient intervention in the state. More than 60 percent of our infrastructural development in our higher institutions come from TETFund.
“If you take the total intervention in higher institutions in our state, especially the polytechnics and the universities,I can tell you without fear of contradiction that 60 percent of the infrastructural development comes from TETFund.”
Responding,the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono,congratulated the governor on his victory at the 2023 poll and his subsequent inauguration as governor of Jigawa State.
While thanking the governor for finding time to come and appreciate the Fund for its interventions in his state, Echono assured that Jigawa State would continue to get its fair share from TETFund’s resources.
Recalling that most tertiary institutions in the state were badly affected by previous flood and insecurity,he promised that TETFund would intervend in flood and security infrastructure.
Echono recalled that last year, TETFund released N3 billion special intervention to the Federal University of Science and Technology in the state.
He said: “Jigawa is one of our frontiers when we talk about emerging technologies.It is a state of peace, with very harmonious, very hospitable people.
“I recall when the federal government, in recognition of this,decided to establish the federal university of science and technology. I had the privilege of leading a team there. I want to assure you that TETFund will continue to support your efforts at developing the educational system in Jigawa.
“We will ensure that Jigawa gets its fair share of the resources in TETFund.
“We are also going to address the aftermath of the flood that happened last year or two years ago where some of the infrastructure was affected. We’re going to be looking at that and also the issue of security infrastructure. It’s another area we are looking at to support Jigawa State, in addition to your normal entitlement as provided in the law.”
