The Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University, Bokkos, Professor Shedrack Best, has called for collaboration between the university and the Local Government Areas in Plateau State to address the challenges facing the institution.
Best made the call on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Usman in Jos.
He noted that the university was facing numerous challenges, which include inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, staff housing deficit, transportation challenge as well as insecurity and thus emphasised the need for a collective effort to tackle the challenges.
The VC noted that the university is a state-owned institution, and as such, it requires the support and collaboration of all stakeholders, including the LGAs.
He expressed his desire to work closely with the LGAs to identify areas of need and develop strategies to address them.
The VC stressed, “By the law establishing the Plateau State University, 17 local government areas are the co-owners of the state university, and that is why from inception, funding arrangements are provided for the LGAs to co-fund with the state government the activities of the university and this has been the case throughout the existence of the university until at a point when the funding formula was re-arranged because the LGAs found themselves in a distressing national condition.
“Honourable Commissioner, we may complain that what is being remitted is below what the law expected, but the fact that you still make efforts to remit what you have committed to remit is commendable.
We appreciate you and pray that you will sustain the efforts.
“We want you to look into other possible areas of supporting the university. Right now, we have challenges in the area of water supply, staff housing, transportation, and insecurity.
We hope and appeal that some of these challenges will be addressed,” Best remarked.
In his response, the commissioner assured the vice chancellor of the state government’s commitment to supporting the university.
He noted that the government was aware of the challenges facing the institution and working to address them.
“The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs serves a supervisory role for the 17 LGA chairmen as well as the chieftaincy affairs on the Plateau. The governor has given us the free hand to work and succeed and that is why even the physical environment of this ministry has been transformed for better and if we can do this within the ministry, we know certainly that it is our responsibility to support the university,” the commissioner responded.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the state chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Kemi Nshe expressed his willingness to facilitate a meeting of the LGA chairmen in the state to discuss areas of collaboration and support for the university.
Nshe, who is the Chairman of Shendam LGA, emphasised the importance of education in driving societal growth and development and pledged to support the university in its efforts to provide quality education to its students.
Not a few of the stakeholders who spoke with Arewa PUNCH hailed the visit by Best as a step in the right direction towards addressing the challenges facing the university.
-Punchng
