Upgrade of MAUTECH to cost N17.4billion - NUC

The Federal Government is to spend the sum of N17.4 billion for the upgrade of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology to a conventional university and take-off of medical school in the institution. The chairman of the National Universities Commission (NUC) committee for the review of the law establishing MAUTech, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja while submitting the committee report to the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Abubakar Rasheed.

The committee also recommended renaming of the University to Madibbo Adama University, Yola to reflect its conversion from specialised institution to conventional status.

He explained that N10.6 billion would be required to mount medical programme and requisite facilities needed for the College of Medical Sciences at the University.

Ribadu also revealed that based on the committee’s gap analysis, the government would require N6.8 billion to upgrade the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, to a Teaching Hospital.

The conversion of Modibbo Adama University of Technology to conventional University followed a bill sponsored at the Senate by Senator Ashatu Ahmed representing Adamawa Central senatorial district in the 9th Assembly.

Ahmed who had been on the struggle for the conversion of the University to conventional status from when she was elected to the Federal House of Representatives, had argued that this would create more space for admission of students in the area devastated by horrendous activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

Thus, following the directive of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, NUC Executive Secretary inaugurated the 8-man committee chaired by Ribadu to among other things, examine the adequacy or otherwise of the provisions of the law to support the introduction of medical education in the University.

The committee was also mandated to consider the possibility of the University running programmes in the medical sciences to enable the Governing Council to mobilise requisite resources, including the identification of a teaching hospital to provide relevant services for training of medical personnel.

Ribadu, who is a Visiting Professor at NUC, further disclosed that the University has proposed an intake of 50 students to commence medical programme during 2020/2021 academic session.

He also recommended that a draft establishment Bill be sent to the National Assembly since the current Federal University of Technology Act CAP F23 LFN 2004 would no longer be applicable to the institution.

Senator Ashatu, however, disclosed at the event that the Bill on reviewing the establishment law of the University has sailed through First Reading in the floor of the Senate and action would be concluded on it after resumption from recess for Christmas and New Year.

NUC Executive Secretary, Prof Rasheed while receiving the report said the management of the Commission would study the report before it is forwarded to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who would, in turn, present it to the Senate President for implementation.

He commended the efforts of Senator Aishatu and her colleagues from Adamawa State as well as the meticulous work done by the committee.

Rasheed said: “The implication of what you have done is that Yola may commence medical programme from this year. Other universities in the country who are in similar position who have the desire can replicate what you have done because reverberating effect.

“We are concerned about the state of medical education in Nigeria. We are really concerned about the space available to read medicine in universities in Nigeria, which makes many Nigerians to go outside to study medicine at all cost,” he said.