Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has announced the willingness of his administration to partner with Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU)in the areas of education, agriculture and capacity building.
Gov Lawal disclosed this when he received the Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof Adamu Ahmed and other management staff of the university who called on him at Zamfara State Government House, Gusau.
Lawal, who had both his first and second degrees from Ahmadu Bello University, stressed that education was the responsibility of not only the government, but also all citizens of the country.
He recalled with nostalgia his undergraduate days in ABU, saying he always preferred staying in Zaria to going home when the university was on break due to the quality of the school.
According to Umar Auwal, Director, Public Affairs Directorate of ABU, Governor Lawal described ABU as “one of the best schools in the world”, saying he had no apology for that given the quality of education he received from the institution.
He said as leaders they had a duty to contribute, noting that the best way to give back to the alma mater was to work for the betterment of humanity.
The governor told the delegation that his doors were always open and ABU should continue to count on him for support.
Gov Lawal said partnership was something that the state would work together with ABU due to the quality of its teaching and non-teaching staff.
He appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for releasing some of his competent staff to join his administration to help develop Zamfara.
In the area of agriculture, Gov Lawal emphasised that the state would also partner with ABU, as the state was planning to begin mechanized farming.
Lawal further stated that the state would also partner with the university on intellectual and capacity building for civil servants and top government officials, this, according to him, was key in understanding the basic roles of civil servants in governance.
The governor also said that it clearly showed why they invited consultants when they wanted to appoint permanent secretaries.
Lawal therefore thanked the Vice-Chancellor and members of his entourage for the visit and looked forward to a more partnership with the university.
Those who came along with the Vice-Chancellor were Registrar, Rabiu Samaila; Director, Institute for Agricultural Research, Prof Ado Yusuf; Director, National Animal Production Research Institute, Prof Rabiu Hassan; and Director, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, Prof Sani Yusuf Ahmad.
Others included Director, Directorate of Advancement and International Education, Prof M I Umar-Buratai; Dean, Faculty of Administration, Prof M K Isah; Coordinator Gender Policy Unit, Prof Rahanatu Lawal; and Prof Ashiru Bello of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
Director, Public Affairs Directorate, Auwalu Umar; Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ibrahim Sani Kaita; and Senior Information and Protocol Officer, Ahmad Haruna Waziri, were also on the Vice-Chancellor’s entourage.
