Sokoto State University VC Requests Staff Recruitment for Planned Faculty Expansion

Professor Muhammad Bello Yarima, the Vice-Chancellor of Sokoto State University, has formally requested the Sokoto State Government to sanction the employment of additional academic personnel. This appeal is crucial for the institution's anticipated growth into fresh faculties and academic programmes. The Vice-Chancellor articulated this plea on Saturday, during the university's joint fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth convocation ceremonies held in Sokoto.

Established in 2009, the university has already grown from its initial three faculties to five. It is currently awaiting clearance from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for an additional 22 academic programmes, which, if approved, would see the total number of faculties rise to between eight and nine.

Yarima highlighted the institution's significant expansion in terms of student population, academic programmes, and admission quotas. He stated, "The university is expanding in terms of admission quota, academic programmes and student population. We are pleading with Your Excellency to allow the university system to expand its staffing position. We need more recruitment and more qualified staff to fit into these new programmes."

The Vice-Chancellor identified Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Medical Sciences, and Nursing among the proposed new programmes. He described these as strategic courses designed to address critical emerging national manpower requirements.

Furthermore, Yarima announced the university's initiation of a monthly public lecture series, aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and bolstering research efforts. He also revealed plans for establishing a Centre of Excellence dedicated to Solid Mineral Research, intended to promote scientific mining practices and combat the widespread issue of illegal mining. "We are trying to establish a Centre of Excellence for Solid Mineral Research because solid minerals are the next oil in Nigeria. We are already in touch with institutions in India and China to help with equipment and training," he elaborated.

The university, according to Yarima, has consistently benefited from interventions by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which have supported infrastructure development, staff training, and research initiatives. He noted that numerous lecturers have received advanced training in countries such as the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and India. He extended appreciation to Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his unwavering support, particularly for financing the combined convocation event and upholding the state's policy of offering automatic employment to graduates who achieve first-class honours.

"The last two weeks, we interviewed four first-class graduates, and they have been absorbed into various faculties. We are grateful for strengthening and maintaining this policy," Yarima confirmed.

During the combined convocation, a total of 42 students were awarded first-class honours. The graduating class also included 779 students from the Faculty of Arts, 347 from Computing, 1,187 from Education, 1,886 from Science, and 1,317 from Social Sciences.

In his address, Governor Ahmed Aliyu reiterated his administration’s steadfast dedication to education, underscoring its role as the bedrock of sustainable development. He detailed government achievements, including the settlement of salary arrears for visiting and sabbatical lecturers, implementation of salary increments for academic staff, renovation of staff residential quarters, and the construction of a sports complex.

Governor Aliyu affirmed, "We are committed, well committed, fully committed, and we remain committed to supporting the university in its quest to become one of the leading institutions of higher learning in Nigeria and beyond."

Aliyu also acknowledged and praised former governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko for his foresight in establishing the university, crediting the institution with significantly broadening educational opportunities for thousands of students.