The Vice Chancellor of Sokoto state University (SSU), Professor Sani Mohammed Dangoggo, has handed over to the newly appointed Professor Bashir Garba after the expiry of his five-year tenure on May 5, 2022.
Sokoto state governor and Visitor to the University, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal appointed Prof. Garba as the new Vice Chancellor on Tuesday, 26th April, 2022, following the recommendation of the University Governing Council.
At the handing over ceremony, which took place on Thursday, at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Senate Building of the University, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dangoggo reeled out some of the achievements recorded during his tenure.
According to him, the University got full accreditation of 23 programmes presented to the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the year 2017; approval for the commencement of 16 additional undergraduate programmes; establishment of postgraduate programmes; splitting of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences into Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social and Management Science; unbundling of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies into the Department of Arabic and Department of Islamic Studies.
On infrastructure, Dangoggo said some projects executed include a complex of 60 offices for the academic staff, Inuwa Abdul-kadir University Library, drainages, landscaping and other projects by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund).
The outgoing vice chancellor further said that the Sokoto government, TETFUnd and the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) sponsored many staff for Master’s degrees and PhDs in and outside the country.
The Fund has so far constructed the Faculties of Science and Education and many more, while the construction of the faculty of Engineering, Agriculture and Centre for the Study of the Sokoto Caliphate and Postgraduate School has commenced.
Prof. Dangoggo appreciated governor Tambuwal, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar, the Chancellor, Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi; Members of the University Governing Council; Ministry for Higher education; Management and staff for their support, patience, and understanding during his five years tenure as Vice-Chancellor.
While taking over, the new Vice-Chancellor, Prof Garba promised to consolidate on the solid foundation laid by his predecessors.
“Service to humanity remains my passion. Therefore, I will do everything humanly possible with your support and with Allah (SWT) as our guide and director to take this institution to greater heights by building upon the already existing foundation laid by my predecessors and other stakeholders,” he said.
He said the confidence reposed in him by the authority of the University and the Sokoto state government would be justified, as all efforts would be geared towards executing programmes and actions aimed at fulfilling the core mandates of establishing a university, that is teaching, research and community service.
Prof. Garba appreciated the efforts of Prof. Dangoggo and members of his management team for the achievements recorded by the University under their watch.
He enumerated some of the areas his administration would pay more attention to, which include, but not limited to the following, completion of the staff quarters, staff school, guest house, additional student hostels.
“In addition to all these achievements, attention would still be focused on the areas of academic activities, such as research, teaching and community service. He further reiterated his readiness to ensure full accreditation for the whole programmes of the University, which would be conducted by the National Universities Commission in few months to come.”
