Attahiru Jega faults production of bread, sachet water by universities

The former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commissionn (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has criticised the trend where universities engage in bread and sachet water production to generate funds.

Jega, who is the Pro-Chancellor, Plateau State University, Bokkos, expressed displeasure over the trend at the opening of the three-day 2016 Nigerian Higher Education Summit on Monday in Abuja.

Organised by the Association/Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities and TrustAfrica, Dakar, Senegal, the summit has “Exploiting Diversity, Differentiation and Quality Assurance in Revitalising the Nigerian Higher Education System” as its theme.

The former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities said that the crisis of funding in Nigerian universities is acute but the primary responsibility of funding universities is that of government.

He said, “Putting universities in such a dire situation where they have to be doing things like producing and selling sachet water is sad; frankly, it is not the business of universities.

“We want young unemployed youths to be involved in such entrepreneurial activities to generate income for themselves and to build businesses.

“For a university to become in dire and desperate need for money as to bake bread and produce sachet water is unwholesome and needs to be discouraged.

“Government needs to provide sufficient funding to universities.”

He added that the problem was not that government lacked money but for it to re-arrange its priorities so that it recognised the importance of education and provide commensurate funding to universities.

The former INEC boss said there was also the need for the management of Nigerian universities to have an inclusive and transparent process of managing resources.

According to him, it is unhealthy for universities to be struggling to generate funds to carry out their mandates.

He said that for strikes to be avoided, there should be mutual respect between the Federal Government and the unions.

In a keynote address, the President, African Export Bank, Mr. Benedict Oramah, said there was need for Africa to move away from the colonial-style education it inherited.

Represented by Mr. Stephen Keuma, the Director, Human Resources, AFREXIM, Oramah said the way forward was to refocus on technical education that would equip the continent for manufacturing.