The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has hailed Nasarawa State for its giant stride in the development of basic education in the state.
UBEC’s Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba, gave the commendation when she led the management of the commission on a familiarization visit to the state.
She rated Nasarawa as among top performing states in accessing the FGN-UBE matching grants in the country.
She also described as “impressive” the way the state has been able to utilize the grants in developing the basic education system in the state.
The executive secretary said the federal governments through UBEC has so far disbursed over N20bn to the state from 2005 to date.
She disclosed that state’s 2025 has been increased to N6, 714, 000, 000. 00, even as she said that the state’s 2024 matching grant of the sum of N3, 554, 000, 000. 00 is ready for release.
“The commission is fully aware of your contributions to the development of basic education in Nasarawa. It includes the construction and renovation of primary and junior secondary schools, the provision of textbooks, and teacher learning aides, the recruitment of 2000 teachers, as well as the donation of temporary office for the UBEC zonal office in North Central. Most importantly, the donation of land for the permanent site of UBEC North Central zonal office,” she noted.
The executive secretary said UBEC has executed direct intervention such as the Model Smart School, construction and furnishing of second chance school, construction and furnishing of junior model secondary school, construction and furnishing of five libraries, construction and furnishing of Almajiri model schools, as well as procurement and distribution of textbooks and other instructional materials.
She requested for the state government to facilitate the issuance of the certificate of occupancy of the land designated for the permanent site of the North Central zonal office of the UBEC.
On his part, Governor Abdullahi Sule thanked the executive secretary for considering Nasarawa State the first she will be visiting since her appointment as the new UBEC boss.
He commended the commission’s management for collaborating with the state government in its effort to develop the basic education in the state.
Speaking as the Chairman, North Central Governors Forum, Governor Sule urged the staff and management of UBEC to give the new executive secretary to enable her replicate the great job she has done while working with the World Bank.
“I urge your colleagues to give you maximum support because I believe, without their support you would be frustrated. You need that support. I’m calling on them, now that Nasarawa is the first state to visit, so Nasarawa is calling on you her colleagues, on behalf of the other governors of the North Central, we are calling on you to give her maximum support because she is the right person that could do a good job. She needs your own support 100 percent in order for her to succeed and do a very good job,” he said.
He said his administration met a backlog of unclaimed UBEC grants and had to work hard in order to uplift the standard of education in Nasarawa State to be able to compete favorably with other states of the country.
“I want to thank you for your kind words about the selection of Nasarawa State first as everything we are doing is part of our responsibility to education. Nasarawa State is one of the topnotch states when it comes to education, and that is why we took it upon ourselves to ensure we meet up with the standards of education of other states. We have to do more, and that is the reason we are doing more,” he stated.
Governor Sule sought further collaboration and support from UBEC particularly with regards to reducing the number of out-of-school children, as well as tackling the Almajiri issues.
“I want you to partner with us in the area of Almajiri and out of school children. You have a lot of experience on that and I want you to help us to ensure that it works for us in Nasarawa State. We want to take most of these Almajiris off the street and take them to places where they can become useful to themselves,” he said.
On her request for the facilitation of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy for the land hosting the permanent site of UBEC North Central zonal office, he explained that his administration is willing to process and issue the CofO once UBEC expresses readiness to develop the land.
“We have no problem giving you the CofO. What we were afraid of was it look like you were not ready to develop the land. It is in a very strategic place in the state. We don’t want to just give CofO and yet the place would not be developed. If they will develop it, go ahead and process it. We will give the CofO. We want to make sure it’s developed,” he said.
Governor Sule restates call on young engineers to acquire skills for employment
Governor Abdullahi Sule has restated his call on young engineers from Nasarawa State to acquire necessary skills in order to be able to gain employment as his administration vigorously pursue its industrialization agenda.
Governor Sule made the call again on the occasion of the 2025 World Engineering Day, which held at the COREN State Office, Lafia.
While decrying the inability of indigenous young engineers from the state to gain employment especially with emerging industries across the state, the Governor emphasized the need for engineers to acquire practical engineering skills to make them employable by big companies that are establishing their businesses in Nasarawa State.
“We have seen some of the companies come in and showing great amount of interest in investing in Nasarawa State. But I am not happy to tell you that when I visited some of these same companies that have already started establishing, we do not have our own local engineers working there. Instead, we find engineers from other places that are working there.
“I do not want us to take this engineering work just by the title of engineer. Let us be practicing engineers because big companies are not going to recruit according to your local government or your tribe. They are not interested in your background or height or whether you are beautiful or not. They are not interested in all those things. What they are interested in is the knowledge, know-how, capacity, and competence that you are going to bring on the table. That is what we have to work hard to make sure we meet these expectations,” he stated.
He pointed out that the dearth of skilled engineers in the state may not be unconnected with the absence of a training facility, particularly that it took over 15 years for the Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic (IMAP) to be able to run engineering courses, after his administration secured accreditation for engineering courses.
“Nasarawa State is a state of great potential. The potentials that exist in this Nasarawa State are enormous. As somebody who comes from the engineering background, and someone who started working as technician before I rose to working as an engineer, and someone again whose background is mostly business oriented, running organizations, running companies that have concentrated on creating wealth, I saw this wealth in Nasarawa State and I believe that engineers would contribute heavily to the creation of that wealth for the sustainable development of Nasarawa State. I challenge you, especially our young engineers, that this is an opportunity,” he said.
He noted that most, if not all, the big mining companies operating in Nasarawa State, like the largest lithium mining and processing factory being established in Endo, Nasarawa Local Government Area, would only recruit engineers with practical skills and not just university degrees.
The governor urged young engineers who may not have the necessary practical skills to take advantage of the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute in order to acquire the necessary skills.
He commended the NSE Chairman in Nasarawa State, Hon. Simon Obagu, NSE National President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, for celebrating World Engineering Day, as well as Engr. Fersan Daou, for delivering the keynote address titled “Shaping a Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” that is beneficial to engineers and Nasarawa State.
In an opening remarks, NSE National President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala said the World Engineering Day was initiated by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations ( WFEO) in 2019 in order to recognize the contributions of engineers and members of the engineering family.
In a welcome address earlier, Chairman, NSE Lafia branch, Hon. Simon Obagu called on engineers in the state to recommit themselves to the ideals of the profession and to strive to be the catalyst for positive change in their various communities.
Obagu commended Governor Sule for his consistent support to the NSE in the state, but requested that members’ contributions to the development of the state be recognized and valued.
In a vote of thanks, Engr. Dalhatu Ahmed, NSE Lafia branch Vice Chairman, appreciated the exemplary leadership and commitment of Governor Sule to develop Nasarawa State.
Ahmed further appreciated members of the NSE Lafia branch for their hard work and dedication to the profession, pledging that members would continuously uphold the highest standard of engineering practice while also mentoring the next generation of engineers.
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