By Salisu Ibrahim
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), will confer a ‘Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award’ on the Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dr Abbas Tajuddeen, GCON.
The award is in appreciation of his remarkable contributions to the development of the institution, a statement signed by Malam Auwal Umar, Director, Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, has said.
“Dr Tajuddeen, is an ABU alumnus. He will be honoured largely for bringing various intervention projects, including 60 KVA solar powered mini grid and sport facilities, to the university”, the statement added.
It said, the speaker is among the 156 staff, service units, and alumni to be recognised for the year 2025 as recommended by the University Reward and Recognition System Committee.
“This is the third time the institution is conducting such an exercise since the establishment of the committee three years ago, the statement added.
The decision to recognize the awardees was contained in a report to the University Management by the committee led by Prof Sani A Abdullahi, a finance expert at the Department of Finance of the University.
All the awardees will be formally honoured by the university at a ceremony which will be announced in due course.
The committee also recommended that 140 staff, a university committee, a research group, a corporate body, three service delivery units, a deanery, and nine alumni for recognition. They will be recognised for their outstanding contributions to the objectives of the university as well as national and international developments.
According to the statement, the committee was saddled with the responsibility for instituting a reward and special recognition system for staff members, service units, corporate bodies, alumni, and friends of the university.
In carrying out the exercise, the committee was, among others, guided by the principal objectives and operational guidelines for reward and recognition system in the university and was also guided by the established criteria/scoring templates for evaluation of outstanding performance and contributions to the university.
The exercise was based on nominations from heads of relevant units of the university using the appropriate instruments of evaluations.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, who commended the committee for what he called a “thorough job”, congratulated the awardees on the deserving honour.
He expressed confidence that the recognition would instill trust and motivate employees.