The Gombe State Government has announced its intention to establish a University of Science and Technology.
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said this when he received the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University, Kashere, in Gombe State, Chief
Gbenga Daniel, VON reports.
Governor Dankwambo said the initiative was inspired by the need to develop the manpower required to carry out research on the natural resources the state was endowed with.
“We are thinking of establishing a second University of Science and Technology. We have a natural location and we will do our best to ensure that before the end of this tenure, we establish one.
We will have to develop our kind of manpower that will be interested in research. University is about research, to research and find out what is it that we are sitting on that we don’t have water one kilometre below the earth surface in Gombe. We sink borehole, one kilometre deep, we cannot find water.
My belief is that we are sitting on limestone or kinds of gases that we don’t know or some kind of things underground. So what is it that makes water not to come? Is it gas? If it is gas, what kind of gas, if it is one mineral resource or the other, what is it?” Dankwambo queried while insisting on the need to find out.
Governor Dankwambo said the University may not have to start big as he
is more concerned about having to start very strong.
“It doesn’t need to be a very huge and mighty university, we will start in a way that we will ensure that we will start very well, just like Gombe state University and Kashere are starting very, very, very well. I assure you that we will do it very well,” he said.
The Nigerian Universities Commission will be visiting the university in September for the institution to gain its accreditation.
To achieve this, the visiting Pro-Chancellor and former Ogun state governor,, Chief Daniel, is soliciting for the support of the Gombe State Government in lifting the standards of the institution.
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo pledged to do so.
History
The Federal University, Kashere was established on May 5, 2011 and is situated in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
It started with two colleges and 12 programmes. Four years on, the university has four colleges, 19 departments and 38 degree programmes, covering arts and humanities, social sciences, basic sciences, agriculture and education.
It is also planning to establish the Faculty of Law in a year or two.
Also, on October 8, this year, the Federal University Kashere will be graduating the first set of its students as well as hold its First Convocation Ceremony for those graduating by January, 2016.
After the visit at the Government House in Gombe, the Governing Council of the Federal University Kashere undertook a tour of the institution.
The delegation first stopped at the palace of the Emir of Pindiga, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohammed Seyaji, under whose territory the Federal University, Kashere is located.
The Emir equally promised to give the university all the support needed.
Posted by Janice Johnson
