The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday announced a N10 billion grant for the Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDU) Sokoto, to enhance manpower training and research.
The gesture was announced by the bank’s Deputy Director, Projects Planning and Implementation Division, Alhaji Kabiru Nuhu-Koko, at a brief ceremony at the institution’s main campus in Sokoto.
According to Nuhu-Koko, the university was selected to benefit from the grant for the 2013 fiscal year as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility to Nigerians.
”Each year, the bank selects one university or a public institution from each of the nation’s six geo-political zones, to benefit from a similar gesture and this year is the turn of UDU-Sokoto.
”Similarly, the bank each year, selects one secondary school and a tertiary institution from each of the six zones for other gestures,” he said.
The deputy director stated that the grant was aimed at building the manpower capacity of Nigerians to effectively run the economy of the country.
”This is aimed at taking Nigeria’s economy to the desired level and thus become among the best economies in the world.
”This would not be possible without adequately trained manpower . This is also in line with the vision and mission of the Federal Government, to put Nigeria’s economy among the best in the world,” he said.
Nuhu-Koko said President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to ensuring the transformation of the country, adding that the CBN, led by its Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was working relentlessly towards realising the dreams of the Federal Government.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, commended the apex bank for the gesture, describing it as ”historic and unparalleled.”
”The university has been working round the clock and diligently too, to deliver on its mandate, in spite of the crippling financial constraints.
”The intervention by the bank would also help in repositioning the university to be at par with its contemporaries in Nigeria, Africa and the world.
”No country expects to develop fully without quality education. The grant would be used to improve infrastructure to guarantee quality training,” he added.
Shehu also stated that the intervention by the CBN, would enhance advanced research, reduce deficiencies and enable the university to attain greater heights in learning and research.
