Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has promised to wade into the boundary dispute between Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University and the host community.
Governor Ortom stated this Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi during a courtesy visit on him by the Centre for Innovation in Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards, CIPESS, who were led by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Richard Kimbir.
Governor Ortom stated that his administration will soon convene a meeting between the University management and host community to iron out the boundary issue.
He stated that if benefits which are supposed to accrue to the host community are not forthcoming, his administration will engage relevant authorities to ensure that justice is served.
The Governor congratulated the University for being selected among several other federal universities to host the World Bank Centre of Excellence under the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement, SPESSE project.
Governor Ortom pledged the commitment of his administration to ensuring security for lives and property at the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi, stressing that security must be given priority at all times.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Kimbir in his opening remarks listed some of the challenges of the institution to include the frosty relationship with the host community among others.
Earlier, Director of CIPESS, Professor Lami Nnamonu said the centre is the hub for the implementation of SPESSE project in the North Central Zone.
She explained that SPESSE project is a partnership program between the Federal Government and the World Bank with the National Universities Commission, NUC as the Project Implementation Unit, PIU.
The project, according to her, is aimed at addressing the huge deficit in qualified and knowledgeable personnel to implement the Procurement Law in line with international best practices.
She disclosed that the Centre would offer Regular and Executive short courses, Advanced Certificate Courses, Post Graduate Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes among others and its products will enable government derive maximum value for money in budget implementation.
