About N6 billion has been spent by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the establishment of the Business School of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, disclosed this on Saturday at the 40th convocation ceremony of the institution in Zaria. He said the business school had commenced as a faculty, covering accounting, business administration and economics departments.
‎Garba noted that the development created space for the expansion of the departments and introduction of related academic programmes.
According to him, the university’s faculty of medicine had been transformed into College of Health Sciences, headed by a provost. He said the college has taken off with four faculties, namely; Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences and Allied Health Sciences.
He also announced the commencement of three new academic programmes beginning from 2017/2018 session. They include Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences and B.Sc. Medical Radiography.
The vice chancellor further disclosed that, the university had introduced e-learning methodology in academic delivery to tackle growth in the number of students, noting that, e-learning was in line with developments in learning and technology.
He said “The University has continued to improve and expand the existing facilities for teaching and research within the limit of available resources”.
Garba said the university was using Tertiary Education Trust Fund and Presidential Need Assessment Intervention Fund to execute projects.
Of the 8,260 that graduated with first degrees, 50 of them from across all faculties, bagged first class. Also in the post graduate school, 250 PhD students and 2,300 M.sc students graduated.
‎Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru announced automatic scholarship up to PhD level to the best graduating student, Al-Amin Bashir-Bugaje from Electrical Engineering Department, with ‎Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.93‎.
“NNPC will sponsor him fully to wherever he wants to study in this world up to PhD. Level,†Baru said.
Earlier in an address, the Chancellor of the University and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, said since his appointment in November 2015, the university has been vibrant and promising. ‎
He said “the university 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 added that the institutes had over the years made significant contributions to the agricultural sector of Nigeria’s economy.
