The Bauchi State Government said the move by an Islamic organisation, Jama’atul Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), to establish a private University in the State would complement government’s effort towards addressing challenges in education sector.
The State governor, Bala Mohammed, stated this at a fund raising occasion for the construction of the proposed Fortune University, to be cited at Toro local government area of the State.
The governor, who said the State government has donated 120 hectares of land for the project, asked all the local government areas of the State to contribute N200million to facilitate timely completion of the project.
He also announced the support of N50million each from all the Governors of the 19 Northern States.
According to the Governor Bala Mohammed, education was one of the priority areas of his administration and, therefore, he would encourage efforts by credible groups and organisations like JIBWIS towards accommodating the teeming youths in institutions of higher learning.
Also, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has donated N100million while his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, gave N120million as his contribution.
Chairman, JIBWIS National Council of Ulamah, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, said the Islamic organisation has established over 5,000 primary and secondary schools and enrolled about seven million pupils across the country under its education development initiative.
Sheikh Jingir, who said the organisation has obtained all relevant documents for establishment of the university, called on governments at all levels, corporate organizations and wealthy individuals to make contributions towards actualising the project.
The University is proposed to accommodate 12 faculties, Departments, ICT centre, and state of the art facilities.
