By Moh Bello Habib, Zaria
The Vice Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Kabir Bala has decried the garnishing of it's accounts in the Sum of 2.85 billion Naira by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the judgement of National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in suit NICN/ ABJ/377/M/2017 on the legal battle between the management and 110 disengaged workers who were fired between 1996 and 1999.
He said this 44th Conversation ceremony held at University' Mamman Kontago Convocation Square at the week.
Professor Bala pointed out with dismay that menace has negativity affected day to day running of the university adding "Ahmadu Bello University, like Many Nigerian Universities more than ever before continues to face financial challenges to support it's vision of sustaining and modernizing it's activities and operations, insecurity, power,land and property tussle issues with State and Federal Government agencies.
The Vice Chancellor further complained that the issue had devastating effect on the operation of the School, adding that the affected accounts contained third-party finds such as local and foreign grant, fund belong Units of the university that were affiliated to and supported by external organizations, as well as find meant for TETFUND projects programmes and foreign Scholars
"All aspects of operations requiring complementation of recurring expenditure such as sanitation, electricity and forms utilities as as overhead costs have been severely hampered.
"Challenges call for greater collaboration between all the stakeholders to fashion out more innovative ways of ensuring smooth running of varsity.
"This is very pertinent considering the obvious need for more investment in ICT and other physical infrastructure as well as capacity development of Staff to meet up with growing challenges of education amidst increasing enrichment and the need to cope with fast changing technology advancement.
"I have been calling on all our stakeholders including Alumni and friends to join hands with us towards ensuring financial sustainability of this great university." He cried
However, The Vice Chancellor lamented the Increase of electricity tariff 761 naira to 206KwH which stood at over 300% increase on those band A feeder, he said it has a source great concern, adding "The implication of this to the university and Staff members living in and outside the university quarters is very significant, the University has promptly conveyed it's inability to cope with the new tariff to the supervising Federal Ministry of Education, the monthly Charges which has risen above 300m naira has severely destabilized the financial status of the University."
Earlier speaking the Chairman of the University's Governing Council, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed complained of the financial challenges being faced by Institution.
He said that the university required huge resources for funding infrastructural development, research, learning and training, all geared towards continuous excellence in academics standard.
Alhaji Ahmed pointed out that the University was in dire need of additional support from all stakeholders, saying that the Federal Government could not alone bear the full cost of funding the education Sector hence the university seek source of funding through collaboration with private Sector and other partners "we will also ensure relentless pursuit of deliverables by mobilizing domestic resources within the University community to complement governments funding efforts."
The Council called on the University Alumni as leading partner in creation, development and suntainance of ABU endowment fund to raise up.
He therefore appreciated the commitment of the endowment Board of Trustees
End.
