By Usman Muhammad & Fatima N Lawee
The Vice – Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed has inaugurated the steering committee for the establishment and eventual take-off for the Faculty of Engineering.
The Committee is chaired by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of NASENI, Prof M.S.Haruna, other members of the committee are;
(1) Prof. Ali Musa Kundiri, Department of Civil and Water Resources Engineering, University of Maiduguri, (2) Prof. Dagwa Ishaya, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Abuja, (3) Prof. Y.S. Haruna, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, ATBU Bauchi, (4) Prof. Babagana Gutti, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Maiduguri, (5) Dr. Suleiman Yunusa, Department of Chemical Engineering, ABU Zaria, (6) Engineer Zakari Ayitogo, Pioneer Director of Works NSUK, and former Executive Secretary Nigerian Society of Engineers and Council member COREN (7) Engineer Joseph O. Odigure, Registrar, COREN, (8) Engineer Dr. Danjuma Isa, Electrical Engineer and former Rector, Kadpoly.
Professor Suleiman in his welcome address at the inauguration ceremony remarked that upon assumption of office, his administration came up with a 5-year blueprint that will serve as a roadmap on how to move the University forward, central to the blueprint is the expansion of science-based programmes to meet the 60:40 admission ratio as stipulated by the National University Commission (NUC) and also to meet the Manpower needs of the state/Nation in the areas Engineering services.
He stated that the University Management with the approval of senate have decided to commence the Engineering programme by the 2021/2022 Academic session with three departments namely;
- Civil and Structural Engineering.
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
- Process Engineering.
According to Professor Mohammed, the Faculty will be sited in Gudi where a complete structure has been graciously donated to the University by the State Government as the take-off and permanent site.
The Vice-Chancellor further stated that the State Governor has made and redeemed a personal donation to the tune of 20 million Naira for the successful take-off of the Faculty.
Responding on behalf of the Committee members, Professor M.S. Haruna thanked the University management for finding worthy of serving in this capacity which he described as a national assignment.
Professor Haruna lauded the University management for assembling a team of formidable experts in various fields of engineering to be members of the steering committee. He stated that the establishment of the faculty couldn’t have a come at a better time than now when there are no job opportunities available hence the need to train students to be self-employed and upon graduation become employers of labour.
He assured that the committee will give it’s best from it’s industrial and academics experiences to deliver a unique and achievable work plan that will ensure qualitative training for the graduates and it will make them employable.
Among the Terms of reference of the committee is to consider the pathway and timeline for immediate takeoff of the programme, come up with the curriculum of the programme, to consider the advert for staff recruitment and advise as appropriate, and to identify and suggest calibre of staff for the programme amongst others.