By Suleiman Yakubu

Implementation Committee for the taking off of the Niger State University of Education has expressed optimism that it will receive a positive response from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The chairman of the committee, Prof. Muhammed Kuta Yahaya, stated this on Friday, when the committee received a delegation from NUC who were on resource verification at the university.
He assured the committee that with the structures on the ground, they were ready to take off, adding that with the commitment of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to commit about N20 billion to the new university, there was room for expansion, which every university system needs.
Prof. Kuta Yahaya said that although the approval was for the NUC, on their part as a university, they have demonstrated that they have what it takes to transit from a college of education to a university of education.
"From what you have seen, many universities cannot boast of what we have here. We are not losing sleep over what we have here," he added.
He said Nigerlites should be proud of Governor Umaru Bago for seeking the revalidation of the Niger State University of Education, which was earlier approved by NUC in 2015, adding that the governor made it a priority to revalidate it, and it was approved.
The implementation committee chairman added that the dream of the committee was to see the university pass the resources verification examination so that it could take off in the next academic session, 2024/2025.
He said the committee immediately swung into action after the inauguration by the governor to see to the realisation of the dream, adding that their host, the state college of education, which was transiting to the university with all its facilities and staff, has provided support, and that with their visiting professors and those on sabbatical who were on ground, they have really shown that the university is ready to go.
He also appreciated the speed of work done by Prof. Faruq Haruna Rasheed, who worked on the initial concept of the university alongside some of them, stressing that the university will be a reality by the grace of God.
The NUC team, led by the acting Director of Academic Planning at NUC, Abubakar Ibrahim Gere, was taken around the facilities after a PowerPoint presentation of the university's structures was given by the secretary of the implementation committee, Dr. Abdul Hussaini, at the university mini conference room.

By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State government has expressed its readiness to work with the urban development policy of the state, which was prepared with the technical assistance of UN Habitat and the Republic of Korea.
The Secretary to the Government of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Usman Gawu, made this disclosure at the flag-off ceremony of phase two pilot implementation of the State Urban Development Policy through an innovative demonstration project held at the Security Chamber of Government House, Minna, on Wednesday.
He disclosed that, as part of the state government's effort to secure political support for the implementation of the policy, the state executive council of the immediate past administration in June 2021 approved the policy as a framework for guiding urban and territorial development in the state.
He added that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, was committed to reversing the debilitating outcomes of unplanned urbanisation and also maximising the transformative potentials of urbanisation for sustainable urban and territorial development in the state.
Alhaji Usman Gawu disclosed further that the UN Habitat and the Republic of Korea had been assisting the state government in the implementation of the state urban policy, where they provided financial support to the state to carry out two demonstration projects in some parts of the state, adding that for the 2023 demonstration project in connection with the state urban policy, the UN Habitat and the Republic of Korea had also provided the state with the sum of $25,000 USD.
The 2023 demonstration project, as highlighted by the secretary to the state government, included the installation of solar-powered boreholes, a 7.5KVA solar inverter, and landscaping at the Kits General Hospital, while the second project was the rehabilitation of three bi-water schemes at Beji, Tungan Mallam, and Kataeregi towns.
"These projects are a testament to our unwavering commitment to transforming Niger State into a socially inclusive, resilient, and sustainable town and city.
"We equally believe that the projects will provide tangible solutions and serve as a testing ground for innovative ideas that can be scaled up for the benefit of all Nigerlites," said the SSG.
He also urged all the benefiting communities to work with the implementating agencies to ensure smooth implementation and sustainability of the projects.
Earlier in their separate presentations, the Chief Policy Legislation and Governance Section of the UN Habitat, Dr. Remy Sietchiping, and UN Habitat urban development expert resident in Niger State, Emmanuel Adeleke, explained that the collaborative efforts of the organisation and the state government, as well as other stakeholders at the community level, led to the formulation of the state urban policy under 10 thematic areas.
According to them, while UN Habitat provided the technical support, the Republic of Korea provided financial support, adding that the Minna development plant, the Suleja Smart City, and the urban renewal have all been completed, and the demonstration projects are still ongoing.
While assuring their continued support towards the implementation of the urban policy and improving the quality of lives in the state, the officials disclosed that the Niger state government had always demonstrated commitment and was transparent in its dealings, hence the reason for the support.
Similarly, the permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development, Alh. Akilu Musa Kuta, disclosed that provision of water was one of the cardinal principles of the governor Umaru Bago administration and that his ministry will remain resolute in implementing urban policy and also champion the cause.
He also appreciated officials of the agencies under his ministry who work tirelessly to see to the realisation of the policy and the demonstration projects.
In her remarks, the General Manager of the Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (NISTWASSA), Mrs. Helen William Umaru, disclosed that since the passing of the law in 2022, the UN Habitat and Republic of Korea have been supportive of the realisation of the agency's mandate.
She appealed to the secretary to the state government to assist in facilitating the agency's requirement from the state government to enable them to demonstrate their goodness to the people in small towns of the state through the provision of water and other basic social amenities.