Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has donated 50 units of one-bedroom semi-detached houses to the University of Maiduguri junior staff members.
In a speech while presenting the houses to the management of the institution on Monday, Zulum said his administration would also liaise with a micro finance bank to assist academic and non-academic members of staff of the university to own houses in Maiduguri.
He said that repayment of the bank’s facility would be made by installment through salary deductions.
The governor, who is a former lecturer at the university’s Faculty of Engineering, also promised to build a befitting structure for the faculty.
“The Department of Civil Engineering has not sailed through accreditation due to the lack of N100 million worth of equipment.
“I have directed the Commissioner for Higher Education, who is also one of us, to include this request in our 2021 budget.
“Potable water is also very important. If there is need for additional boreholes in the university, we will provide and also in places of worship, hostels and staff quarters,” Zulum said.
He called for an amicable resolution of the protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
He expressed his readiness to help in the collective effort to resolve the crisis.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, thanked the governor for his sustained support to the universty.
Shugaba described Zulum as a worthy ambassador, alumnus and staff member of the university.
According to him, the intervention of the Borno government in the critical area of housing in the institution would impact positively on the university community.
He said that the governor had also intervened in other areas, including water supply in hostels and staff quarters, since the inception of his administration.
“We have received enormous financial and material support from you in the areas of security.
“You have also intervened in providing teaching and research tools and undertaken the rehabilitation of our mechanical workshop. The list is so long.
“So far, all of these projects donated to the university by the governor was not at the request of the university.
“He has chosen to do so because he cares for education and is part of the university community,” Shugaba said.
Alhaji Mustafa Gubio, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, who constructed the houses, located on the university campus, said the apartment had a kitchen, store, veranda, lobby and corridor. (NAN)
