ONE TIME MILITARY GOVERNOR OF KANO STATE DONATES N50 MILLION TO ABU

By Ishaq Bilal

Col. (RTD) Sani Bello, a one-time military governor of Kano state between 1975 and 1978 and a business mogul has announced a donation of N50 million to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as well as to also intervene in the electricity challenge facing the institution with a view of tackling the problem.

The former military officer turned successful businessman made the announcement in a courtesy visit to his residence in Kaduna made by a delegation from the University led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kabiru Bala where the elder statesman stressed that the institution must be supported to sustain its traditional mandate of teaching, research and community service.

“Ahmadu Bello University over the years earned for itself great values because of its known academic excellence and that such cherished glory should not be allowed to diminish”, Col. (RTD) Sani Bello said.

The visit made, was part of the sustained effort to reach out to key stakeholders for the sustainability of the University. Meanwhile, speaking during the visit, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Kabiru Bala appreciated the kind gesture shown by the elder statesman and explained that the University had nurtured and is nurturing several public and private universities within and outside Nigeria stressing however the need for its long term sustainability. The vice-chancellor while explaining the challenge facing the institution also added that the University spends more than its annual budgetary allocation on electricity.

In his words, the vice-chancellor explains that “with the average of N120 million annual budgetary allocation for overheads over the past years, yet the University spends nearly N1 billion per annum to pay electricity tariff only in addition to the annual consumption of over 500,000 liters of diesel”

The delegation led by the Vice-Chancellor comprised the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed Doko Ibrahim; the Registrar, Malam Rabiu Samaila; the Director, Distance Learning Centre, Prof. Ibrahim Sule; the Director, Directorate of University Advancement, Prof. Sani Abba Aliyu; Director, Physical Planning and Municipal Services, Prof. Abdullahi Abubakar, and the Director, Public Affairs Directorate, Malam Auwalu Umar.