Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has promised to establish a full-fledged university of engineering before the end of his tenure.
The governor made the promise during the matriculation of pioneer students of the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK)’s faculty of engineering in Gudi, his country home.
He said the transformation of the faculty of engineering to a full-fledged university would be a dream fulfilled for him.
He said towards the realiSation of the lofty objective, his administration is working towards ensuring the establishment of three new engineering departments under the faculty namely agricultural engineering, mining engineering and petroleum engineering.
“My ultimate dream is to come as a visiting lecturer, a retired governor to this same university now no longer a faculty of engineering but a university of engineering in Nasarawa State,” he stated.
He said his desire was to draw from his vast experience of engineering, and to contribute to the growth and development of the profession in Nasarawa State.
“When I was growing up all I wanted to do was to be an engineer. After acquiring all the experiences that I have had, I wanted one day to come and contribute the little I know about engineering in Nasarawa State. I have no idea that one day there is going to be a faculty of engineering in Gudi,” Governor Sule said.
He appreciated his immediate past predecessor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for donating the structure to NSUK, and former executive secretary of the TETFUND, Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, for approving the high impact project which saw to the construction of workshops at the faculty of engineering.
While delivering the inaugural lecture titled “Engineering: The Future for Sustainable Infrastructural Development”, Governor Sule identified engineers as problem solvers and innovators, with engineering being a course that has to do with creating practical solutions.
He pointed out that engineering has played a vital role in ensuring positive changes, innovations and inventions which have made life better, and more comfortable for humanity.
The chairman of the occasion and former governor of the state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, commended his successor for transforming the project he initiated as a school for persons with disabilities into a faculty of engineering.
” This idea is pragmatic, innovative and this is what we want leaders to do. By bringing about ideas, and vision that can translate into practical benefit to the people of the state. I am so happy that the engineering program that was lacking in NSUK has been found,” he said.
In his address, the chief host and vice chancellor of the university, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, disclosed that a total of 109 students comprising 58 civil engineering students, 44 electrical engineering and seven chemical engineering students took their oath of matriculation.
