A member representing Kaduna South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulkarim Hussaini Ahmad, has paid a courtesy visit to the National Open University of Nigeria’s Kaduna Study Centre, promising to establish a community student centre in his constituency.
Hon. Ahmad, who is the Deputy Committee Chairman on Host Communities, was represented by his Special Assistance on Media and Communication, Mr. Sharifudeen Ibrahim Muhammad and was accompanied by other team members to the centre.
The delegation was received by the director of the centre Mr. Yusuf Abdulahi, Head of Administration, Hajiya Fatima Yakubu and some senior staffers.
The lawmaker said the visit was aimed at building a cordial relationship between the university and his office, hoping to result to an enabling platform to discuss and relate on issues of concerns for the ultimate progress and growth of the institution, Kaduna state and the country at large.
He applaudeded the university’s inestimable commitment and contribution to the growth and sustainable development of education in the country.
The committee on host communities, according to him, is not for witch-hunting but rather to mediate between the MDAs, institutions and companies situated in the host communities.
Hon. Ahmad emphasised that there was need for the study centre to give back to the community in the area of Cooperate Social Responsibility, even as he promised to look into the possibility of establishing a community study centre in his constituency.
Welcoming the delegation, the centre director, who disclosed that he had no knowledge of the existence of such committee before their visit, stated that people assumed that the university is new but in reality it’s been in existence since 1983 although it was suspended for some time but was never cancelled.
He added that the Kaduna Study Centre was the first to be established among the 115 centres of the university that cut across the country.
Abdullahi said the university is regulated by the National Universities Commission (NUC), Africa Centre for Distance Education (ACDE) and the Commonwealth Learning (COL).
Emphasising on the university’s course materials, the director said they are designed and written in a simple form for easy understanding.
On the relationship with the host community, the director explained that the relationship is cordial and the university is working closely with the community to ensure harmony, stressing that NOUN engages the community in her activities especially during convocation.
Abdullahi, therefore, urged the lawmaker to establish a community study centre in Kaduna South as there are thousands of potential students waiting for such opportunity.
