PRESIDENT BUHARI LAMENTED THAT MOST OF THE UNIVERSITIES SET UP FOR TRAINING SPECIALIZED MANPOWER HAS VEERED OFF FROM THEIR ORIGINAL MANDATE.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, April 8, urges universities to return to their original mandates in producing specialized manpower for the nation’s industrial need, The Nation reports. The president gave the directive at the 30th convocation of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO). Buhari, who was the visitor to the ceremony, and was represented by the minister of state for education, Prof Anthony Anwuka, lamented that most of the universities set up for training specialized manpower have veered off from their original mandate. He stated: “Universities of Technology were deliberate creations of the federal government to promote science and technology development in Nigeria. “They are expected to champion skills dissemination and promotion of indigent technologies with a view to producing graduates who would be self-reliant and entrepreneurial.” He continued: “However, over the years, some of these specialized universities veered off their original mandate and have concentrated on producing graduates that are skill deficient and largely dependent on the few existing white collar jobs. “It is against this backdrop that the federal government has mandated all specialized universities to return to their original mandates for which they were established.” Buhari opined that this would go a long way in bridging the skills gap as “graduates of these institutions would be self-reliant upon graduation and contribute to the growth of our economy.” The president hailed FUTO’s management for their commitment to producing quality manpower for the nation’s industrial sector, as he stated that the institution is one of the few which have remained focused on the core mandate of its establishment.