Niger Speaker calls for more funding of public versities to compete favourably with private ones.
By :- Priscilla Dennis.
The Speaker Niger State House of Assembly Rt. Hon Abdulmalik Sarkindaji has called on government to adequately fund public universities to enable them compete favourably with private universities in the country.
The Speaker stated this in Cotonou, Benin Republic when ESCAE University conferred on him, Honorary doctorate degree in political science on Saturday during it’s first convocation ceremony.
Rising alarm at the poliferation of private Universities across the Nation, he urged government’s to take a deliberate steps towards adequately funding public Universities.
He explained that, though, he welcome healthy competition between the two, government must rise up and do the needful for the benefit of the Nigerian youths, especially those who can not afford the private universities.
The speaker also noted that if the country must reduce unemployment, the rising crime rate and youth restiveness in the country, the sector must be given adequate priority.
According to him, ” there is heavy prize to pay by any society that ignores the education of it’s youths. That is why government at all levels must take a deliberate steps towards adequate funding of our public Universities to ensure they compete favourably with the private ones in the country. We must not allow proliferation of private universities kill our public universities”.
He then thanked the ESCAE University for the honor and the award of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (Honorary Causa), given to him, adding that the Niger State House Assembly will partner with the University in the areas of training and staff development.
Earlier the Vice Chancellor of ESCAE University Professor Mehoba D. Theodore said the Speaker was chosen for the award due to his track record of achievements in his political journey spanning almost two decades.
