Plateau State University, Bokkos, has expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the state government for donating a 36-seater bus to address the transportation challenges faced by its staff and students.

The university received the brand-new bus on Friday, just hours after requesting intervention from the authorities. The swift response demonstrates the government’s commitment to collaborative governance, according to Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

Chairmen of the 17 local government councils in Plateau State led by Ephraim Usman, the state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, joined the governor in presenting the bus to the university management at the old government house in Jos.

The donation, through the joint effort of the local government councils, came just 24 hours after the university’s management approached the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, as well as representatives of the 17 local governments, with a request for funding of the university.

While presenting the bus, governor Mutfwang commended the local government’s efforts, emphasising the need for collaboration in governance.

“The states and local governments should prioritize efficiency over autonomy, as we need collaboration and synergy,” Mutfwang said.

The governor also highlighted the importance of supporting the university’s progress.

“PLASU needs to be facilitated in every way to gain its rightful place among universities in Nigeria,” he added.

Shedrack Best, a professor and acting vice chancellor of the institution, explained that the majority of staff and students live 40 miles away from the university in Jos due to accommodation challenges, resulting in transportation difficulties.

“This has implications for service delivery in the university, as staff commute every day from Jos to Bokkos, Best said.

Best appreciated the governor and the 17 local governments for responding to the concerns of staff and students.

The acting vice chancellor reiterated the university’s challenges, including the fact that over 95 percent of its workforce commutes from Jos due to safety concerns following the December 2023 crisis.

“We have relied heavily on vehicular movement for staff to get to their duty posts, but this has been worsened by the crisis. We hope that this donation will be the first of many interventions to address our transportation needs.”

The Acting VC also called on the government to consider providing more buses that can reach the university, despite the challenging road conditions.

“We have seen the Metropolis buses, but they have limitations in terms of the quality of roads they can travel on,” Best said.

“We urge the government to find buses that can reach Bokkos, so that our staff and students can benefit from this initiative.”