IMPACT OF FUNDS MANAGEMENT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SPECIALISED FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA (MANAGEMENT PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
Specialized federal universities are established separate from the general universities to engage in research and development as indispensable to national economic development. To translate these laudable objectives into concrete reality, adequate funding must be accorded to specialized federal universities. It is still not clear whether the funds management influence the performance of these specialized universities. This study examined the impact of funds management on the performance of specialized federal universities in Nigerian. The study used both primary and secondary sources of data; the secondary data utilized are the Annual Budget estimates while the primary utilized questionnaire administered. The Simple regression was used to address the quantitative aspect of the study and simple percentage was used to address the qualitative aspect of the study. The result of the study reveals that funds management has significant impact on the physical facilities, researches and number of graduates produced by specialized federal universities. The study therefore, recommends among others that the federal government should increase its funding (capital, recurrent and research grants) to specialized federal universities and encourage internally generated revenue by ensuring state and local government, private enterprises and other non- government agencies (i.e. third party) are contributing their quota.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The major objective for the establishment of specialized universities separate from conventional universities is to focus solely on some specific subsectors of the economy because of their importance to national development. In emphasizing the reason for the establishment of specialized universities, Obasanjo (2000) states that the need for specialized universities to ensure speedy transformation of science and technology in Nigeria was intended to institutionalized the teaching of science at the tertiary level with a the view to repositioning Nigeria for the challenges ahead.
It is in a bid to show its commitment to this important sector of the economy, that the Federal Military Government under President Ibrahim Babangida established universities of Agriculture as institutional infrastructure to correct the obvious defects of the colonial paradigm for research, extension and training (Idachaba, 1988).
Universities of agriculture were established separate from the general universities against the background to the weaknesses and defects of existing network of faculties in federally – owned general universities and state owned universities; extension services of state ministries of agriculture, the agriculture development projects and a multiplicity of tertiary institutions offering sub degree programmes in agriculture (Idachaba, 1988).
It is against the above and many other backgrounds, that the universities of agriculture were established with the aims of providing prompt solution to farmers’ practical problems, raising farm output and incomes and accelerating the drive towards national food sufficiency (Idachaba, 1988).
The Federal Universities of Technology were also established to give effect to the nation’s drive for the much-needed self-reliance in science, engineering and technology.
