News
Tinubu approves takeoff of six varsities established under Buhari’s tenure
President Bola Tinubu has given the approval for the commencement of academic activities of six out of the 14 new universities established in the last days of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, made this known on Wednesday, after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Prof Mamman stated that the initial phase will involve the launch of two universities in the field of agriculture, two as colleges of education, and two focusing on the field of medicine.
According to him: “There are very many, probably about a dozen of them, if not more than a dozen or 14, that’s the number and you know tertiary institutions are highly capital-intensive, they need a lot of money, especially at that take-off stage, for infrastructure, staff recruitment and all other needs.
“By the time you want to start about 12, 14 institutions at once, it is a very heavy burden on the finances of government.”
The minister affirmed that these institutions are strategically aligned with the key mandates and priorities of President Tinubu’s administration.
Dr Mamman added: “Ordinarily, we would have said we’ll review whether we should go ahead with that, but most of them are specialised institutions; colleges of education, agriculture and medicine; they are institutions that will support some of the mandates, the priority areas of this government.
“We will need trained teachers, which colleges of education will provide; the same thing with agriculture. That’s why the government has not stepped down that approval; instead, the President, in his wisdom, said we should stagger their implementation on the ground of funds. We’re starting with about six, two each of agriculture, colleges of education and medicine.”
Some of the universities established during the said period are David Nweze Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu; Federal University of Transport Daura, Katsina; Shehu Shagari University of Education, Sokoto; and Admiralty University Ibusa, Delta State.
The minister mentioned that the President also approved the completion of the National Library which has been projected to be completed in 21 months as the nation’s depository.
“On the National Library, a national monument, I briefed the President about the need to get it completed. He is happy with the proposition,” he affirmed.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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