Yobe moves to establish Biomedical Engineering Institute

From Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has inaugurated the Steering Committee for the establishment of the Yobe State Institute of Biomedical Engineering Technology (YIBET) as part of his administration’s efforts to strengthen institutional development and improve policy implementation.

This was contained in a statement signed by Ibrahim Baba Saleh, Media Coordinator/Liaison Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

According to him, the committee has been mandated to provide strategic direction and technical oversight for the planning and establishment of the proposed institute, with the aim of developing a sustainable and internationally competitive centre of excellence for biomedical engineering education, research, innovation, healthcare technology and human capital development in Yobe  State.

Speaking during the inauguration, Governor Buni, represented by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, described the establishment of YIBET as another milestone in the administration’s drive to strengthen the state’s education and healthcare sectors through science, technology and innovation.

He expressed confidence in the competence and experience of the committee members and urged them to discharge their responsibilities with diligence, professionalism and a strong sense of commitment.

He said the institute would position Yobe as a leading hub for biomedical engineering and healthcare technology, while producing skilled professionals capable of addressing emerging healthcare challenges and contributing to national development.

Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman and Commissioner for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Mohammed Bello Kawuwa, assured the governor that members would deploy their expertise to lay a solid foundation for establishing one of the country’s leading biomedical engineering institutes.

He thanked Governor Buni for the confidence reposed in the committee and commended the administration’s foresight in initiating what he described as a landmark project capable of making Yobe a centre for medical and biomedical innovation.

The committee comprises the Vice-Chancellor of Yobe State University, Damaturu; Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Higher Education, Health and Human Services, and Budget and Economic Planning; the Chief Medical Directors of Yobe State University Teaching Hospital and Yobe State Specialist Hospital; representatives of the Nigerian Society of Biomedical Engineering, Yobe State Chapter, and the School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Maiduguri.

Also serving on the committee are the Director of Engineering Services, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, while Dr. Abdulkareem Karasuwa will serve as Technical Consultant. The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, will serve as Secretary of the committee.

According to its Terms of Reference (ToR), the committee will work closely with the Technical Consultant to develop a comprehensive framework for the successful establishment of the Yobe State Institute of Biomedical Engineering Technology.