From Junaid Jibril Maiva, Maiduguri
Governor Kashim Shettima has met with the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu in fulfillment of his promise to follow-up on demand made by the University of Maiduguri for the release of N2 billion to fence 27 kilometres of the eastern portion of the University through which Boko Haram insurgents had been accessing the school to carry out serial suicide attacks.
The Governor also followed up on issues of Federal Government’s intervention in ongoing reconstruction of over five thousand classrooms and other school buildings destroyed by insurgents in 512 primary schools, 38 secondary
The Governor also followed up on issues of Federal Government’s intervention in ongoing reconstruction of over five thousand classrooms and other school buildings destroyed by insurgents in 512 primary schools, 38 secondary schools and two tertiary institutions in Borno.
Governor Shettima who visited the Minister’s office at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja was accompanied by Senators Mohammed Ali Ndume, Abubakar Kyari and later joined by the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Inuwa Kubo.
During discussions with the Minister, Shettima raised the pending request on release of funds to fence exposed portions of the University of Maiduguri with a view to securing the school ahead of resumption of students for academic programmes later in the year.
Governor Shettima was informed by the Minister that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has been directed to fund the project as a special intervention.
The Minister assured the Governor that soon as procedures for the project are completed, he will come to Maiduguri to visit the University ahead of the capital project.
The Minister said he had always been worried about the spate of attacks on the University, and assured the governor that the Federal Ministry of Education will do whatever it can, to secure the institution.
Earlier, Governor Shettima had informed the Minister that the University of Maiduguri has remained the highest producer of manpower for public and private institutions in Borno State and the rest of the northeast, as such, the school is very dear to Government and the people of Borno.
Apart from matters concerning UNIMAID, Governor Shettima also sought concerted support towards the ongoing rebuilding of infrastructure in different sectors of Borno State.
He called on the Minister to give special attention to Borno State given its peculiar challenge.
The Governor said his government has always been very regular in the release of counterpart funding to access statutory funding from the Universal Basic Education Commission.
He added that his administration’s policy was a departure from what he met on ground recalling that Borno State failed to access over four billion naira from the Universal Basic Education Commission because previous administrations refused to pay counterpart funds to UBEC as demanded by the law establishing the commission.
In his response, the Minister informed Governor Shettima that the Federal Ministry of Education was working out a major intervention for the northeast with Borno State being a key component of benefiting States.
Malam Adamu Adamu said the planned intervention is being coordinated by the inter-ministerial task force on the northeast, chaired by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed.
He assured Governor Shettima of support for Borno State through his Ministry.
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