The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has approved funding for the construction of 500 housing units for staff of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, under the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme.
Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, disclosed this at the university’s 85th Ordinary Meeting of Congregation, held at Mamman Kontagora Square. He explained that the project is part of a broader plan to expand the initiative to 1,000 housing units.
The Vice-Chancellor added that the university would soon roll out a “site and services” scheme for staff, stressing that staff welfare would not be treated as an afterthought.
“We are addressing the challenge of staff retiring without their own homes strategically. I have also committed to engaging constructively with in-house unions to rethink the framework of staff welfare, both in service and in retirement, through new models for healthcare access and cooperative schemes,” Prof. Ahmed said.
He noted that the current tax regime remained a concern for the university community. A joint committee of unions and management has been set up to engage government for possible tax reliefs. He further revealed that hazard allowances for non-teaching staff had been resolved, while mechanisms were being instituted to ensure timely payment of salaries and entitlements.
On career progression, Prof. Ahmed assured staff that grey areas in the new promotion guidelines were being addressed in consultation with unions. He also confirmed that the implementation of the directorate system in the Registry and units under the Vice-Chancellor’s office was underway.
Acknowledging challenges in staff recruitment, he pointed out that nearly 1,000 personnel had left the institution through retirement over the past five years without replacements. However, he said the university was in the final stage of discussions with the Budget Office of the Federation to address the matter.
Prof. Ahmed thanked staff unions for their cooperation and reiterated that the university’s growth depended on motivated, fairly treated, and intellectually engaged personnel.
