By Wole Mosadomi

MINNA — Niger State Governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu, has asked the Acting Minister of Education, Mr. Nyeson Wike, to be mindful of his utterances and stop dabbling into the affairs of other states pointing out that ‘’education administration is not for riff raffs.’’

Wike had made some comments about the state of affairs in the education sector in Niger State which the governor said he should not have made.

Speaking while signing into law the state University of Education bill at Government House Minna, yesterday, Aliyu warned Wike not to comment on matters he was not familiar with so as not to cause further problems in the education sector.

’‘I do not know when he got into education. Education is not for riff raffs and he should, therefore steer clear of Niger State.

’’If he (Wike) can fight the governor of his state (Rivers) he cannot fight other governors and so, he should take his time,’’ Governor Aliyu warned.

Aliyu had explained that the University of Education, to be located at the present site of the state College of Education, Minna, would provide avenue for training of teachers in secondary schools in the state and the entire northern Nigeria where there was currently none of such institution.

He defended the establishment of the university, pointing out that the north could not boast of 50 per cent qualified teachers to man its primary schools.

He assured that the new university would attempt to bridge the gap when fully operational.

The governor also said when the government would set deadline for unqualified teachers to be certificated adding that ‘‘education should be the priority of every government.’’

Aliyu, later signed into law two other bills including the Vision 3:2020 law and the Pilgrims Welfare Commission bill.

The Vision 3:2020 law legalised the state Vision 3:2020 programme introduced by the administration in 2007 while the amendment to the Pilgrims Welfare Commission gave executive powers to the chairman of the commission while the secretary must be a grade Level 17 civil servant.

In his remarks the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adamu Usman said the assembly  passed 30 bills between 2007 and this year adding that the laws have impacted positively on the lives of people of the state.