The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent about N6 billion to establish a business school in the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, made this known on Saturday at ABU’s 40th convocation ceremony held at its main campus, Samaru, Zaria.
Garba said that the business school had begun as a faculty, covering Accounting, Business Administration and Economics Departments.
The vice said that the development gave room for expansion of the departments and introduction of related academic programmes.
He said that the ABU’s Faculty of Medicine had been transformed into ABU College of Health Sciences and headed by a provost.
“The college has taken off with four faculties of Basic Clinical
Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences and Allied Health Sciences.
“Along with this development is the commencement of three new academic programmes beginning from 2017/2018 session.
“These are Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory
Sciences and B.Sc. Medical Radiography,” he said.
The vice-chancellor said that the university had introduced e-learning
methodology in academic delivery to tackle growth in the number of
students.
Garba said that the e-learning was in line with developments in
pedagogy and technology.
He said that ABU last year introduced four additional courses in its
Department of Mechanical Engineering.
He said that the university had continued to improve and expand the
existing facilities for teaching and research within the limit of
available resources.
Garba said that the university was using Tertiary Education Trust Fund
and Presidential Need Assessment Intervention Fund to execute the
projects.
The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Kachalla-Baru, said
at the occasion that he was impressed by the performance of 50 of the
graduating students who had first class degree in different fields.
He announced NNPC’s scholarship up to PhD level for the overall best
student with Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.93, Mr Al-Amin
Bashir-Bugaje from Electrical Engineering Department.
“NNPC will sponsor him fully to wherever he wants to study in this
world up to PhD. Level,” he said.
Kamchatka-Baru said that NNPC had been at the forefront of fostering
education in Nigeria.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the ABU Chancellor, Igwe Nnaemeka
Achebe, said: “Since my installation as the Chancellor of this
university on Nov. 1, 2015, I have found this university to be vibrant
and promising.
“It has enormous human and material resources and a number of
specialised research institutes, particularly agro-based ones.
“These institutes include the Institute for Agricultural Research, National Animal Production Research Institute and National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services.’’
He said that the institutes had over the years made significant
contributions to the agricultural sector of the Nigerian economy.
