By Jibrin Hussaini Kundum
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) chapters, have reaffirmed their support for the institution’s management over its commitment to academic quality assurance, as well as staff and student welfare.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Zailani Bappah, the unions made their position known during separate courtesy visits to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba, in his office.
Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Sulisma Dauda Jatau, commended the Vice Chancellor for his style of leadership, financial prudence, and respect for due process. He noted that Professor Garba’s efforts in promoting welfare and sustaining academic standards were laudable, describing the recent media campaign against him as “unfortunate and regrettable.” Jatau assured the management of SSANU’s solidarity in all genuine efforts aimed at advancing the university’s excellence.
Similarly, NASU Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Yusuf, decried the escalation of negative media reports linked to a Federal Government policy decision, which he said was wrongly attributed to the Vice Chancellor. He pledged the union’s continuous support in addressing challenges confronting the university.
In his response, Professor Garba expressed gratitude for the show of solidarity, describing it as patriotic and timely. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to financial discipline, academic justice, and institutional progress, noting that staff and students share in the pride of seeing ATBU excel in its mandate as a citadel of learning.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that his administration inherited a huge debt but has succeeded in offsetting nearly one-third of it within a few months, without taking fresh loans. He further highlighted strides in welfare, including the refurbishment of five luxury buses now deployed for student shuttles between the Gubi and Yelwa campuses, with another 32-seater staff bus set to join.
On agriculture, he revealed that six of the university’s grounded tractors had been refurbished for use in this year’s farming season, with more undergoing repairs. The initiative, he said, is intended to support staff and community members engaged in farming on ATBU campuses at subsidised rates.
Professor Garba also disclosed plans to streamline the staff promotion process to reduce delays in implementation.
He dismissed as false recent media reports alleging that he misled the Governing Council into closing the Faculty of Management Sciences and certain courses in the Faculty of Technology Education, insisting the claims were baseless and damaging to the university’s image.