The Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, has called on Nigerian Universities to develop policy on marketing local research.
The Minister made the call when the Acting Vice – Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University (Formerly University of Abuja), Prof. Mattew Adamu and his delegation of the Centre of Migration Studies paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.
In his remarks, the Minister commended the University for establishing the Centre for Migration Studies, describing it as a timely initiative that aligns with the! National and Global priorities. “As a Ministry, collaborating with the University of Abuja, most especially with the Centre for Migration Studies is very vital because the Ministry believes that current situations have made it mandatory for the country to look at challenges of migration in the country and proffer solutions.
He said that it is very important to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which is always encouraging collaboration to allow pulling of resources for maximum demand.
Dr. Sununu further said that during the 2025 World Humanitarian Day, a National Strategy on Migration was developed which goes along with its implementation plan and advised that the Centre needs to have a copy of it once it is out so that they can analyze it and know where there is need for amendment into subsequent editions”.
He stated further that, migration has both positive and negative consequences, but each nation must be able to promote and actualise the benefit of the positive aspect of migration while mitigating the effect of the negative consequences as a country and as professionals.
He admitted that “Nigeria has had both positive and negative effects of brain drain, negatively, a lot of Nigerian health workers have migrated to most developed countries like the United Kingdom, United States and Canada, leading expatriates working in those countries”.
Dr Sununu emphasized the importance of partnerships between the Government and academic Institutions and assured the University the Ministry’s willingness to collaborate in the area of policy advisory, research, training and student engagement.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation, Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. M. Adamu, on behalf of team condoled the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and Chairman APC, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, over the demise of his mother.
The VC highlighted the University’s commitment to fostering partnerships that drive National development and capacity building in areas that align with the mandate of the Ministry.
He further disclosed that the visit focused on exploring collaborative opportunities between the University and the Ministry, on a wider range of activities including the provision of Manpower training for Staff of the ministry in migration studies with speciality in Humanitarian and poverty alleviation strategic studies.
“The University is a World Class Research Centre, established for research, with well trained scholars of international repute, professors and doctors with capacity, competence and character, sufficient to provide requisite knowledge on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty alleviation strategic studies” the Prof. added.
Others present at the meeting include the National Coordinator, NSIPA, Associate Professor, Badamasi Lawal, Director, Information & Public Relations Rhoda Iliya, Director Human Resource Management, Onyia-Desy Chinyere Hilda, Project Manager, National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Abdullahi Alhassan Imam, and Directors of the University.
Signed
Iliya Rhoda Ishaku
Director Information and Public Relations
