Yar'adua, who was speaking during the official commissioning of the Umaru Musa Yar'adua University in Katsina, also said the coun-try's universities whether states or federal have been battling with the common challenges of achieving their developmental objectives due to inadequacy of funds. This, according to him, necessitated the federal government to commence a process of repositioning all educational institutions to meet their developmental objective by committing N33 billion as special intervention fund to six selected universities across all the six geo-political zones. The money, he also said, would be channelled throu-gh the Education Trust Fund (ETF) to support the universities upgrade some critical infrastructure and facilities in identified core areas in order to meet up with global realities.
The president particularly tasked all states universities in the federation to develop special mechanism for investing resources for development and other purposes by developing linkages with reputable local and international agencies, collaboration with local governments and through internally generated revenue. He said the federal government has begun a systematic provision and upgrading of critical infrastructure in addition to the provision of funds for advanced focused research, training, ICT development as well as laboratory and library facilities to endanger educational standard to conform with best international practice. He said Umaru Musa Yar'adua University was conceived as a model and world class educational institution of the 21st centaury, and therefore urged the council, staffs and management of the institution to live up to the vision of its founding fathers by ensuring excellent academic standard. Earlier in his address, the Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, said the state government budgeted over N6 billion for the development of the second phase of the university which would include the construction of other faculties and laboratories as well as the development of the university village among others.
