Niger Budgeted over N594.6m for University of Education Take Off

The Niger state Government has budgeted over N594.6m for the recruitment of staff to the new University of Education and the College of Education both in Minna the state capital.

The amount will cover the salaries of 302 teaching and non -teaching staff for the University of Education as well as 6 management staff as well as the engagement 212 academic and non-academic staff.

The Overseeing Commissioner for Education Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya who disclosed this at a news conference in Minna on Thursday said that the new University of Education will take off very soon as the National Universities Commission has concluded arrangements to undertake a visitation to the university with a view to approving its programmes.

In readiness for the visit Professor Yahaya said government has released another N19m for the upgrading of facilities and improvement of environmental issues on the campus.

He disclosed that latest rating by the National Universities Commission has rated the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai another tertiary institution owned by the state as the 59th in the country ahead of some 1st generation universities.

The NUC he said has approved the post graduate programmes for the university which have been in high demand by post graduate students.
In the meantime Professor Kuta Yahaya who is also the Commissioner for Agriculture has said that a Kano state based firm is to invest over N150m in rice production in the state.

Already the firm has acquired 11,000 hectares of land for a 25 year period and will revive moribund irrigation facilities in the affected community.