Northeast Varsities working towards surmounting challenges bedeviling the sub region.
Group Photograph of ATBU management and Committee of Directors of Research and Development from Northeast Universities
By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
Universities in the Northeast have been urged to strengthen collaboration in the area of Research, Innovation and Development RI&D towards harmonising and utilising research equipments and for the development of the subregion.
The Vice Chancellor Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University ATBU Bauchi Professor Muhammadu Ahmad AbdulAzeez made the call at the opening of a three day 2nd Quarterly Meeting of the Committee of Directors of Research and Development Centres of Northeast Nigerian Universities in Bauchi.
Professor Muhammadu AbdulAzeez each and every institution has its own set of equipments which can be shared among universities in the subregion, hence the need for the committee to deliberate on how staff and students can utilise those facilities to proffer solution the challenges facing the subregion.
While lamenting the relegation of research and community development among universities, the Vice Chancellor underscored the need for them to strengthen RI&D to attract funding and grants from local and international organisations.
In a remark, the Chairman of the Committee Professor Yahaya Oyewole said they are collaborating with some government agencies to address the challenges of Youth restiveness, Insurgency, Out of School Children, Climate Change and other environmental issues in the northeast.
Professor Yusuf Oyewole further disclosed that the meeting was aimed at identifying challenges and proffer solutions, identify fundable researches from within and outside the country as well as establish strong collaboration among higher institutions in lake the Chad sub-region.
Earlier, the Host and Director RI&D ATBU Bauchi Professor Fatima Sawa who welcomed all the Committee members and other participants to the quarterly meeting, said the committee was set up to coordinate and ensure improvement in research and development across the northeast subregion.
In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Director RI&D ATBU Bauchi Professor Balarabe Yusha’u appreciated the university management for its continued support to the Directorate and the participants for their untiring efforts towards the development of institutions in the subregion.
