Bayelsa Medical varsity gets NUC approval

The National Universities Commission has recognized the establishment of the Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa. The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, issued the letter of recognition of the varsity to a delegation led by the state governor, Hon Seriake Dickson, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The governor’s delegation comprised the Senator representing the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Foster Ogola, the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, the Vice Chancellor òf the Niger Delta University, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo;Acting Vice Chancellor of Bayelsa Medical University, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu; the Coordinator of BMU, Mr. Bennaiah Oye; the Acting Registrar, Dr. Akpoebi Adesi.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations to the Governor òf Bayelsa State, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Prof. Rasheed as having said that the NUC had recognized the Bayelsa Medical University as the 48th State owned university, the fourth medical university, and the second state owned medical university in Nigeria.
The NUC’s Executive Secretary said that while the commission was opposed to proliferation of universities, the outstanding and consistent contributions of Governor Dickson to the development of education in Bayelsa and his credibility left the commission with no other option than to recognize the school.

He commended the governor for the establishment of the University of Africa which he said has more foreign input per capita, than any other university in the country.
He said that the NUC was happy that the Governor was showing the the way on how best to build a university in Nigeria.
He said that with the universal character and nature of the UAT, the young institution was gradually becoming an international university which would attract a very higher ranking in the global committee of universities.

According to Prof. Rasheed, the NUC was encouraged by the fact that ‘whatever Dickson touches, it turns to gold’ having established the University of Africa which had taken off on a solid foundation.
He said even though the university was the fourth medical university in the country, he was optimistic that it would be a pacesetting institution in the country.