Fmr Head of State, Abubakar tasks stakeholders on effective data, information management

Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar has tasked stakeholders in the country to ensure effective data and information management for effective service delivery.

Abubakar made the call during the 62nd Business Meeting of the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU) hosted at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, recently.

The Former Head of State explained that the theme is very apt as he has come to realise that every aspect of the country lacked effective data management that had hindered development.

He canvassed for data collection of not just students but of staff, while citing examples of students who have been expelled from one Nigerian university for indiscipline and getting readmitted in another university, which may not know their background.

He remarked that after deliberations, solutions would be proffered to help effective data and information management in Nigerian universities and the country at large.

Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu commended FUT, Minna for hosting such a huge event, adding that the State hoped that the deliberations would focus on promoting academic proficiency, proffer solutions to data management issues that arise every day, students and staff discipline among others.

Bello suggested that recommendations that would arise from the meeting would be implemented for effective data and information management in Nigerian universities.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Musbau Akanji, who was also the Chairman of the occasion, expressed his excitement at the fact that FUT, Minna, was given the privilege of hosting the 62nd Business Meeting of ARNU, stressing that data storage and its management represents the footprint of any organisation.

According to Akanji, it was in realization of the importance of data security and management that FUT, Minna pioneered the establishment of a School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT), especially Cyber Security Programme among Nigerian universities in 2010.

He added that Registrars are the custodians of the university records.