Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has announced automatic employment for 17 volunteer Nurses serving at the General Hospital, Biu, assuring that more medical personnel would be recruited to strengthen healthcare delivery in the area.

The Governor made the announcement on Sunday while inspecting the 150-bed General Hospital under construction, revealing that the facility would be upgraded to a Specialist Hospital upon completion.

The Governor stressed that, “We are building another befitting hospital in Biu which is 150-bedded hospital, when completed this, together with the existing facility, will have a carrying capacity of between 300 to 400 bed. That means we have upgrade this hospital to a Specialist hospital.”

Zulum added that, “We are upgrading the hospital to provide the services needed by the Nigerian Army University in order to establish College of Medical Sciences. By next year, the Army will admit it’s first set of medical students.”

“In addition the Specialist hospital will also serve the eight remaining local government areas in southern Borno in terms of medical services,” he stressed.

He also said that two additional community Secondary Schools will be constructed in Biu town as part of efforts to expand access to quality education for children in the area.

Zulum also declared Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Biu as one of the Eight Centres of Excellence established by his administration to promote academic excellence and unity among students across the state.

The Governor made the announcement on Sunday during an interview with Journalists as part of his week-long tour of five local government areas in southern Borno.

After spending the night in Azare, headquarters of Hawul Local Government Area, Babagana Zulum embarked on an early morning inspection of educational and health institutions in Biu.

He visited Government Senior Science Secondary School, Government Secondary School Waka, Government Girls Secondary School, Nigerian Army University, the new General Hospital, and the 100 Housing Estate.

The Goernor also inspected the State Hotels, the proposed site for the Community Boys Day Secondary School and Community Girls Day Secondary School, and disclosed that construction work would commence immediately.

According to him, “Biu is increasing in terms of population on a daily basis, there is the need for the government of Borno State to increase access, so that more children will be admitted into junior and senior secondary schools.”

“This morning we have toured some schools in Biu, we are looking into the possibility of constructing additional two community schools in Biu one for boys and one for girls,” Babagana Zulum stated.

He explained that the designation of Eight Secondary Schools as Centres of Excellence was aimed at reviving the state’s exchange programme, where students from different parts of Borno would study together and will also be receiving transportation allowances.

“We are reintroducing the exchange program where students from northern and central Borno will be transferred to the school to study. This is to reinvigorate the culture of unity among people of the state,” he said.

Addressing Muslim and Christian female students at GGSS Biu, the Governor urged them to adhere to the teachings of their respective religions, noting that moral values are essential for a peaceful and moral society.

He announced the donation of 200 bags of rice, beans, and cooking oil for students’ feeding, and promised to construct an additional borehole for the school kitchen while repairing the faulty one.

At the Nigerian Army University, Zulum inspected two blocks of 12 three-bedroom flats constructed by the state government as staff quarters.

He assured the institution of continued support toward establishing a College of Medical Sciences to increase opportunities for Borno indigenes to study medicine and related courses. (Nigerian Tribune)

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