Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alasan Rurum, recently led a delegation to four universities in Sudan to pay outstanding bills of students of Kano origin.
The journey was at the instance of the state governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.
A statement by Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, noted that the debt was owed by the immediate past administration of the state to El-Razi, Ondurman, Al-Ahafad and national universities.
Over N200 million was paid as school fees and maintenance allowances to the university authorities and the students.
Each student had earlier received upkeep allowances of N780,000 (N84 million in all) before the delegation’s visit.
When the delegation visited the universities, each student also got $2,400, as maintenance fees to cover rent, books, visa renewal and others. There are 102 students currently in Sudan from Kano.
Senior Special Assistant to Ganduje on Higher Education, Usaini Akilu Jarma, said all the school fees for the Sudan students were cleared up to the graduation stage for those students finishing in 2019.
He said only a few students would stay in the universities beyond 2019, adding that the outstanding debt would be paid.
“It is less than 10 percent; and even the remaining is only for some that were not able to write exams because of some genuine reasons. Our able governor has given the approval for that. And very soon the remaining will be paid,” he said.
Jarma said since the beginning of his tenure in 2015, the Ganduje administration had paid outstanding bill of N7 billion foreign scholarship fees owed by his predecessor.
“When we came in, we were told that all fees for the foreign students were paid. But after some investigations we came to realise that there were billions of Naira on the shoulders of the state government. We found out that what we were told earlier was nothing but being economical to truth.
“Because Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje believes in genuine development of our people, he did not reject the entire backlog. In a situation when so many states brought back their students because they could no longer pay, Kano State government promised that all students would finish their programmes. So far, as I said before, Kano paid over N7 billion.
“In Egypt we paid over N2 billion, so also in Sudan where we paid over N2 billion so far. In Cyprus, we paid over N2 billion, to mention just a few. Mark you, we have students in other countries like Malaysia, China, Uganda among others. And we are not talking of Ukraine, where the sum of over $1million was just set aside, resting somewhere, without taking our students there.”
Jarma said Ganduje inherited over 2,000 students from the Kwankwaso administration.
Also, Rurum praised Ganduje for the good gesture.
He said the students were happy their debts had been cleared, adding that “all burdens on them concerning outstanding payments have been cleared. This is something highly commendable done by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration. He has shown that he is a good and exemplary leader”.
Rurum added: “Our able governor is not relenting in looking after the progress of all our students, both within and outside Nigeria. With the limited resources and many responsibilities, the governor finds it necessary to clear the outstanding bills left by the past administration. Bravo to our leader Ganduje.”
President of the Kano State Students Association, in Sudan, Sadiq Abdullahi Uba from Gwale Local Government Area, praised how Ganduje administration handled them responsibly.
He said: “What Baba Ganduje is doing to us, is something that only parents can do to their wards. He is truly a father to all of us. We are happy that, when some states returned their students to Nigeria because they could not pay, Kano State under Baba Ganduje is doing well by paying all the outstanding bills left by the past administration.”
Uba urged Ganduje to attend their graduation on May 5.
“We are graduating on May 5, 2019, we are therefore sending an official invitation to the governor, to please try, though he has tight schedule, and attend our convocation. We are ever grateful Sir. Kindly convey our message to Baba Ganduje,” he said.
Other members of the delegation included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Director of Schools, and Deputy Treasurer from the Ministry of Finance, among others.