Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has approved the appointment of former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika as pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU), Katsina.

A statement by Ibrahim Almu-Gafai, the spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said the appointment, which was for the first year of tenure, took effect in October 2025.

Mr Almu-Gafai said the SSG, Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, stated that Mr Sirika’s appointment was based on recognition of his outstanding qualities and performance over the years.

He added, “The governor urged the appointee to bring his vast experience to bear in his new assignment.”

“The governor congratulates Senator Sirika on his well-deserved appointment and wishes him Allah’s guidance in the discharge of his duties as chairman of the Governing Council, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU) Katsina,” Mr Garba-Faskari said.

Mr Sirika, an aviator and politician, was born on March 2, 1964, in Dubawa, Sirika B Ward, Dutsi Local Government Area of the state.

He is a graduate of prestigious institutions, including the Petroleum Helicopter Institute, Flight Safety International, and Delta Aeronautics, all in the United States of America.

The appointee also holds a Master of Science degree in Aviation Management.

He was a member of the House of Representatives for the Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency between 2003 and 2007 and a senator representing Katsina North from 2011 to 2015.

Mr Sirika served as Minister of Aviation from 2019 to 2023 under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

(NAN)