The Zenith Bank PLC has donated an eighteen (18) seater bus to the Plateau State University (PLASU) Bokkos, to help enhance transportation challenges for optimal academic and administrative duties.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) John K. Agam, and made available to SUNDAY STANDARD in Jos, the Plateau State capital shortly after the Zenith Bank’s Zonal Management donated the bus recently.
While acknowledging the university’s continuous support and patronage, the Zenith Bank’s Zonal Director, Mr. Duwong Dayil said, “the recent achievements of the bank, including the CEO award and Bank of the Year award, were made possible by the support of “responsible organisations” like Plateau State University, Bokkos.
He added that the donation was part of their corporate social responsibility to the state and assured the university of Zenith Bank’s commitment to further intervene in areas that will enhance knowledge and learning in the institution.
Responding, Vice Chancellor of the Plateau State University (PLASU) Bokkos, Professor Bernard Matur, thanked Zenith Bank for this great gesture and reaffirmed the university’s unwavering commitment to sustaining its partnership and expanding collaboration with Zenith Bank PLC.
He stated, “We are very happy and grateful to God Almighty for our partners in business, Zenith Bank International, for coming all the way to visit us because of the little we have been doing in terms of providing an opportunity for the bank to manage our finances.”
The VC, however, revealed the university’s eagerness to engage in public-private partnership (PPP) agreement and sign a Memorandum of Understanding that would involve offering land and related logistics to support the construction of essential infrastructure within the university.
Professor Matur said, “We have opened the chapter for public private partner development. We have opened the chapter for build-operate and transfer to further consolidate on the fast developing and growth of the university.
“We have eleven faculties from four just added five months ago. We have the School of Post-graduate Studies and that is where Zenith Bank can come in. We have sufficient land to give you to build a real business.
“I want to assure you that I, as the Vice Chancellor of this university, will continue to pursue a mutually beneficial relationship with Zenith Bank until we all reach the zenith of our aspirations”, he assured.
The Vice Chancellor, thereafter, extended an invitation to Zenith Bank to participate in projects such as building hostels for post-graduate students, either through a Build-Operate-And-Transfer Partnership or a Public-Private Partnership (PPPA).
Meanwhile, the representative of the state government and the University’s Governing Board, Hon. Samuel Para, expressed delight in the growing partnership between Zenith Bank and Plateau State University and prayed for its continued success.
Speaking earlier, Bursar of the University, Longsen Kerrekkum Lawrence, said the bus donation was a fallout of the marching orders given to the Bursary Department to think out of the box and explore avenues that would add value to the university through collaborations with business partners as part of their contributions under their corporate social responsibility.
“This event marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Plateau State University, Bokkos, and Zenith Bank, reflecting their shared commitment to academic development and growth”, he stated.
