The Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association has unveiled plans to build a centre for reproductive medicine for the institution.
President, ABU Alumni Association, Adamu Kontagora, disclosed this during the alumni lecture, dinner and awards in Abuja.
Kontagora said the project, when completed, would improve healthcare delivery in the country.
He said: “Closely related to this is the Public Presentation and Unveiling of the Proposed Ahmadu Bello University Center for Reproductive Medicine, first of its kind in Northern Nigeria. This novel project was carefully selected as it will undoubtedly improve the health delivery system in Nigeria among other laudable objectives.”
Kontagora emphasised the need for the Federal Government to make education a priority and highlighted the crucial role alumni associations play in supporting the government’s efforts.
He said: “Every government has their own priority. And what we kept on telling the government anywhere in the country is that education is supposed to be topmost priority.
“That is why you see alumni are coming up to complement what the government might not be able to provide.”
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The Vice – Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala said the proposed centre for reproductive medicine would contribute to the delivery of healthcare to people of the state.
He lamented that the teaching hospital, which presently serves the Zaria community, was overwhelmed.
The vice-chancellor also expressed concern that the institution’s electricity bill for just one session surpassed its total overhead costs for 2024.
Bala lamented that the university’s electricity bill for one session amounted to over N310 million, exceeding its overhead costs of N240 million for the year.
He urged the Federal Government to boost funding for universities, cautioning that without increased financial support, many tertiary institutions would collapse in few years.
The vice-chancellor said: “In this year the overhead that was allocated to ABU was N240 million for one year. And the electricity bill for ABU in full session is N310 million. And N240 million is supposed to be for one year overheads. So that will give us an idea of the underfunding that ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) talked about. Many universities, at this rate, may not survive at the current level of funding.”
Bala called on the alumni and friends to support the ABU Endowment Foundation, noting that its Board of Trustees chaired by Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, former Head of Service of the Federation has set a minimum amount of N25,000 for all alumni of five years and above.
The event was attended by former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chancellor of the university and Obi of Onitsha, Dr. Alfred Achebe and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha among others.