By Nuel Suji – The National Universities Commission (NUC) Thursday approved the establishment of Gombe State University of Science and Technology as the 154th university in Nigeria.
The approval followed an application for the upgrading of the College of Science and Remedial study, Kumo to a full-fledged state university of science and technology.
Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo who witness the ceremony in Abuja, said the university’s faculty of medicine and that of pharmacy would commence full operation by January.
“We are ready for the project and by January, faculty of medicine and pharmacy will be functioning properly.
Dr. Dankwambo assured the emergence of the new university will not affect the development of the existing state university.
He pointed out the role education plays in shaping the future of any nation.
According to him, “Most internally-displaced persons have relocated to Gombe State and experts have proffer a lasting solution to insurgency and it is learning.”
He said about 150 hectares of land has been set aside for Gombe state university science and technology, assuring government total commitment to providing sound and quality education in the state.
The Executive Secretary of (NUC), Abubakar Rasheed, who announced the approval, said the University becomes the 46th state-owned university and 154th in Nigeria.
According to him, there are 153 universities in Nigeria, out of which 40 are owned by the federal government, including the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and Police Academy in Kano.
Mr. Rasheed said the country is need of more universities, adding that NUC is not worried about proliferation of universities in Nigeria.
The NUC boss said Nigeria will not achieve a knowledge-based economy without huge investment in education.
“More than 1.5 million candidates write JAMB every year to get admission into the University but Nigeria universities can only admit less than a million. So every year, youth are frustrated because they cannot get admitted into the University,” he said.
“NUC welcomes anyone that wants to establish a university in order to assist our population. But we do not compromise on standard. We have sent seven proposals for private universities to the Minister of Education.”
He said JAMB, TETFUND and NYSC had been informed of the creation of the university.
