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Favour Ishember, Abuja
The Commissioner, African union commission for Education, Science, Technology and innovation, his Excellency, Prof Mohammad Belhocine has call on the leadership of TETFUND to grant autonomy of operation to the Pan African University residents in Nigeria
as stated in the statute of the Pan African Universities.
Specifically, Prof Mohammad said the agreement that is written between the host countries and Pan African University of the African union commission states that, the host countries will try as much as possible to make those universities sustainable in the future.
The Commissioner who made this call when he paid a curtsey visit to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Head office in Abuja explained that we heard yesterday meeting with the minster of Education and we try to discuss and it was agreed that TETFUND with ministry of Education will write a letter to the university of Ibadon granting us autonomy, because our request don’t come easy coming through university of Ibadon , some times the management of University of Ibadon is reloctant to send the request which is not related to their own interest”
He highlighted that Pan African University is very important in terms of bringing young Africans together because “when you bring them together in a period of three to five years, it’s menace that they happen to know each other better, know the other cultures better, know the other languages better, know the other believes of the African countries and it’s reincarnate the idea of Pan Africanism, which becomes like part of themselves’
“so far, with funds to this four institutions which are already operating , we were able to train more than one thousand five hundred Masters in different areas of focus and four hundred PHDs , more than two hundred PHDS were trained and these people come from fifty nationalities, that is the most important thing for us”
“There are four institute which are operating, one is University of Africa which is in Panicy, one in East Africa which is in Nairobi, the other one which is in North Africa which is in Algeria and we have one also dealing with Governace, humanity and social science in Yaunde Cameron, central Africa”
“And we are yet to start working, to lunch the last one which is in Space Sciences in South Africa , some discussion about Previlages and immunity , and we hope that soon we will have the fifth institution also going on, he assured.
After spending nearly two Months in office, the new Commissioner said:”in addition to that, the fact that we are selecting the best of the best students means that we are really playing important role in empowering our Youths to be the elites of tomorrow.”
Appreciating the support of TETFUND, Prof. Mohammed said ‘ I want also your Excellency, to appreciate the work TETFUND has done with us because In the beginning of March, a beautiful building was commissioned to become the main premise of the pan African University life on earth seated in Ibadon , definitely, that couldn’t be possible with out your support so am very grateful for that .
“We are sure that it will create a better working condition with us at Pan African University , and Nigeria has been one of the advocate for the creation of this University which is now ten year of excistence “
“so I hope that you will be very sensitive to our request when they come and I trust that will continue our fruitful collaboration with you that we will take that policy some steps forward with regard to the support that the federal government of Nigeria is bringing to us with in the specialized community in the African nations.”
In his response, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Arc. Sunny Echono,, said the Fund is delighted with the philosophy and objectives of the Pan African University institution, and the approach to focus on young people , especially the fact that besides producing the man power, there is also one of the linkages that will be required in Africa for the all beneficial and prosperous future of for the African continent.
In the words of the executive Secretary:” I am aware we have had a little brief of projects , the relationship between the university of Ibadon and the sequencing of your request but I can assure you that as soon as we get your request , having done the most important starting we should be able to build on that and also forth the right partnership that will encourage and enable us push the agenda of the African union and indeed the institutions involved” he assured.
“I should also let you know that the government of Nigeria is adequately thinking in that direction , promoting technology and also we are in the first phase of establishing a national institute here in Abuja that will be a past graduate institution , it is also intended to stimulate a technological transformation of our country”
So the Pan African University also fit in to this general favor, and we believe the partnership between us has been there for ten years now, so we will be to learn a thing or two from which you were able to attract the right faculty, the right scholars in to your university and how we can also build on that to establish ours” he added
Beyond the commitment that my staff and colleagues have shown on the project and the eagerness to move to the next level in to action, I will like to assure you that within the frame work that we have, we will give you maximum support to make that building functional and put to use very quickly”
Giving the vote of thanks, the Director, executive Secretary’s office, Arc Uchendu Nwogh lamented that a certainpart of the Pan Africanism is gradually drifting out of the African consciousness, as a people and individual nations seems to be drifting apart but this occasion has moved a hope that the African children will inherit a United African and the Pan African University is actually that seal that will rekindle the African that is born in then.
In his words” Am not an African because I was born in Africa but because African was born in me .I want to thank his Excellency fior this official visit particularly because the executive Secretary himself has said the partnership between TETFUND and Pan African University will continue to grow in the years ahead,
“We ready to build and encourage those partnership and collaborations that must drive the Pan African vision so that as the years go in to the future, we will begin to see better integration and collaborations, more fruitful and beneficial economy , partnership and all that goes with them”
” I want to thank my colleagues in TETFUND for the initiative to support the vision of Pan African University in setting up that facility at University of Ibadon . I also want to thank our president and the minister of education as well for their vision in making the necessary approval for the fund to be able to do what we are doing today.
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