Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
Chairman of the Governing Board of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has pledged to give necessary support in the bid to revamp basic education in Nigeria.
He appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him as the chairman of UBEC, promising to use his wealth of experience and as a crusader for universal and qualitative education at levels, to transform basic education in the country.
Al-Makura spoke when he officially assumed duties at the Headquarters of the Commission in Abuja, according to a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer and Protocol of UBEC Mr. David Apeh on Sunday.
The Senator was recently appointed by President Tinubu and inaugurated by Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa. He promised to leave a lasting legacy after his tenure as chairman of UBEC.
According to him, “I cherish this four year term appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because I am a Trained Teacher, with grade II certificate, National Certificate of Education and Bachelor’s Degree in Education, social studies.
“As a trained Teacher, I chose to teach during my mandatory National Youth Service Corps for a year before I ventured into civil service, private venture and politics respectively.
“When I was Governor of Nasarawa State, I supported State Universal Basic Education, (SUBEB) and while in the senate, I was a member of UBEC committee, so I am a stakeholder of universal and qualitative education at different levels,” he said.
While also commending Tinubu for appointing Aisha Garba as the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Sen. Al-Makura recalled that he first met her when he was a Governor and Garba was working with the World Bank and had a project in Nasarawa.
While commending the efforts of the Executive Secretary so far since assumption of office in January this year, the Ex-Governor of Nasarawa State, noted that Aisha Garba requires all the necessary support to succeed in actualisation of the mandate of the Commission.
“I commend her efforts, but she needs support to continue to succeed in developing basic education in particular and further education in general,” he said.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Garba said, “I am happy to have my mentor and an educationist as chairman, I was with the World Bank when he was Governor, when I was appointed, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed me to go and fix UBEC, I am thankful to the President for appointing an experience education stakeholder as Chairman.
“The chairman and I have pledged to leave a lasting legacy long after we leave the Commission,” Aisha Garba stated.
The entourage of Senator Al-Makura are: Former Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Professor Mohammed Akaro Mainoma, Tanimu Sarki Mohammed, Alhaji Adamu Umar, Dominic Alancha, Jibril Suleman, Nasir Tanko amongst others, while the host includes Juwon Akinyemi, Tunde Ajibulu, Engr Said Saad, Ibrahim Duro Gold, Adamu Misau,Debbie Dibal and Paul Agi.
