Prof Musa Garba-Maitafsir, outgoing Director-General of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, said he has defrayed over 95 per cent of the N1.2billion debts he inherited over three years ago.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that he spoke on Monday in Kaduna while handing over the helm of affairs to the new director-general, Prof. Sa’adiya Sani-Daura.
Garba-Maitafsir also recalled that he took over the affairs of the Institute when many of the buildings had leaking roofs, including his office.
He said, “I took over as D-G when even my office was seriously leaking.
“Many files were destroyed by rain then and many offices were not habitable including the Computer room.
“Even in the restaurant, an old man was supplying food in a rusted cooler.
“The printing press was also inhabited by many dangerous reptiles and it was used to store farm produce, especially beans.”
Garba-Maitafsir, however, said all that was now history, saying, “I was able to put everything into a proper perspective.”
The outgoing NTI boss added that he was able to reduce the cost of printing examination papers externally with over N270millon per semester to between N40mlion to N50million internally.
“This was because I was able to resuscitate the printing press and saved a lot of money for other useful projects,”Garba-Maitafsir, added.
He stated that he has transformed the Institute into a world-class that was now digitally-driven, recognised locally and internationally.
“You are coming to NTi when the environment is fertile for academic activities unlike myself.
“I inherited almost a dead Institute but it is now ripe to achieve its core mandate of teacher training,” the outgoing director-general averred.
Garba-Maitafsir also disclosed that the Institute has been given permission to award degrees.
He said, “We have already renovated a very big house meant for the D-G and converted it to the Faculty of Teacher Education.
“We are about to appoint HODs pending the final approval for the take off of the Degree in Education by Distance Learning.”
He, however, recalled with nostalgia how he once approved N500million for the repair of a generator, saying, “but in the end, only petrol was used to wash it.
“There was a time I also bought 100 solar lights but I later found out that only 70 were installed.”
Garba-Maitafsir congratulated his successor on her appointment, promising to avail her of his wise counsel and guidance, saying, “I will do my best to make you succeed.”
Responding, Sani-Daura said her appointment was a home-comi g, saying, “NTI has been home to me since my childhood.”
While extolling the laudable achievements of Garba-Maitafsir, the new director-general, the first woman to hold the position, said,”Even the challenges are not insurmountable.”
She promised to take everybody along and run an open-door administration, saying,”Everybody is relevant in his own capacity.
“People must however do all assigned tasks diligently. I will ensure continuity amidst teamwork and cooperation.
“But, if any staff member feels nasty, let him go soul-searching. NTI will continue to be a family.”
Sani-Daura said she would continue to conscesor her immediate predecessor for his wise counsel and advice.
She said, “You may be leaving here physically, but we still will be together.”
Earlier in a welcome address, the acting Registrar, Mrs Zainab Aliyu, promised that the members of staff would cooperate with the new NTI boss to make her tenure successful. (NAN)
