Senate holds public hearing on bill seeking conversion of ATBU to conventional varsity

The senate has held a public hearing on a bill seeking to convert Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi to a “conventional university.”

The hearing was organised by the senate committee on tertiary institutions and TETFund on Friday.

Muntari Dandutse, senator representing Katsina south and chairman of the committee, presided over the session.

Isa Yuguda, former governor of Bauchi state, was among the stakeholders who supported the proposed amendment.

ATBU is currently a specialised federal university of technology, focusing on science, engineering, and technology programmes.

Yuguda said opposing the conversion of ATBU would be unfair to the people of Bauchi state and neighbouring communities.

“Any person that is against running the university into a conventional university is not being fair. I knew what I suffered to get ATBU to run medicine. Today we have over 100 medical doctors,” he said.

“And today you are sitting here and say it should not be run as a conventional university? I am an economics graduate, an accountant, and if economics is not run in ATBU, why can’t I fight for them to have economics?

“There are so many subjects, science subjects, art subjects, that are not being run but are needed.”

Haruna Angulu, branch chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at ATBU, said the union opposed the amendment.

“Our position is very clear. In an era where the world is going technological, what is expected is additional funding in order to make the existing specialised university of technology effective, rather than making it conventional,” Angulu said.

He said ATBU is the only university of technology in the north-east.

Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, said lawmakers must ensure that legislation affecting national institutions is thoroughly examined.

He said such laws should be enriched with insights from stakeholders.

“ATBU has, over the decades, served as an important centre of excellence in science, technology, research and innovation,” Akpabio said.

“However, the university like many of our public institutions has evolved far beyond the frameworks envisioned when its enabling act was first enacted.

“I urge all stakeholders present, academics, administrators, regulators, students, civil society groups, and development partners to engage constructively.”

In his opening remarks, Dandutse said the amendment bill seeks to update the university’s governance framework.

He said the bill also aims to clarify the roles and responsibilities of key officers.

Dandutse said the proposal to broaden ATBU’s academic offerings has sparked debate among academics, students, policymakers, and industry experts.