By Suzan Edeh

Copyright independent

The Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi has dismissed the allegation that the current Management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi is planing to scrap some courses and close down some Faculties and Departments in the Institution, describing it as mere unfounded and unsubstantiated figment of the imaginations of members of the group.

The Director of Information and Public Relations of ATBU, Zailani Bappa, while addressing Journalists at the Press Center of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) stated that the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Hassan is not planning in to scrap any Faculty nor discontinued any course or programmes.

“There are basically two issues in the text of the press conference by the Bauchi State Concerned Citizens. None of the allegations are true because the VC did not do any such thing.”

“Recently, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa summoned all Vice Chancellors and Chairpersons of the Governing Councils of Federal Universities and told them that the Federal Government has taken a decision that all Universities should revert to the original mandate of their establishment.”

”ATBU, as you all know, was established as a technology based University, it was along the line that other management education courses were introduced. Now, the Federal Government wants the statusquo maintained” Zalani said

According to him, it was not the decision of the VC or the Governing Council but a directive that must be carried out.

On the issue of not funding the distance learning Directorate, he explained that considering the fact that most of the course are management education, with the recent development, funding the Directorate will be a waste, the reason, it was put on hold.

Zailani Bappa therefore called for understanding of the situation stressing that it was beyond the VC and the Governing Council as they cannot do anything to change the narrative.

He called on the Bauchi State Concerned Citizens and other stakeholders to join hands and support the efforts of the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District in the NASS, Shehu Buba Umar in ensuring that the law that established the ATBU as a technology based University was amended to accommodate other courses.

According to him, “Unless the University law was amended to make it a conventional university, nothing can be done to stop the ongoing reverting to statusquo ante.”

It remains unclear how the Federal Government and other relevant authorities will respond to the concerns raised.However, for many in Bauchi, the future of ATBU is seen as critical to the state’s educational and socio-economic development.