By Meletus EZE
The Niger Government says it has expended N1.8 billion on state-owned tertiary institutions in the past three years.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Alhaji Muhammad Adamu, made this known on Tuesday at a press briefing in Minna.
The projects executed within the period included construction of a demonstration clinic at School of Health Technology, Tunga Magajiya, and Twin Anatomy at College of Agriculture, Mokwa.
Others are Physiology/Biology Laboratories at College of Agriculture, Mokwa, and construction of Physics and Chemistry Laboratories at Institute of Technology and Innovation, Minna.
Adamu said that the government was committed to repositioning state-owned tertiary institutions to make them relevant.
He said that the state government ensured regular payment scholarships and allowances.
“The state government ensure that bursary and scholarship allowances are paid regularly to assist the indigent students.
“Accreditation exercises are conducted periodically for tertiary institutions for the recognition of their programmes, courses and certificates by their regulatory bodies,” he said
He also lauded the contribution of intervention agencies and development partners in tertiary education.
On the ongoing strike action by lecturers in tertiary institutions across the state, the commissioner noted that the government had met over 80 per cent of their demands.
“I am confident that the strike action will be called off before the end of today.
“We have been holding talks with them and trying to meet their demands and what is left is not much,” he added.
