Denial Of Payment Of Scholarship: Jigawa Students Cry For Assistance

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By; DAHIRU SULEIMAN, Dutse


Jigawa indigenes studying in different tertiary institution’s in the country have petitioned the state government over none payment of three years scholarship allowances.
In the petition written and signed under the umbrella of Association of Jigawa Students of Tertiary Institution’s under its leadership, Comrade Hassan Hadejia of Sule Lamido University Kafin Hausa, stated that it is a well known fact that the state government pays half of the registration fees of its indigenes  every year, leaving unbearable scholarship arrears yearly.
It added that this unwholesome trend was conceived, and inherited by the present administration blindly for unknown reasons perhaps off-course just to punish, or retard the efforts of students in furtherance of their studies deligently.
The petitioners called on Governor Badaru to wade into their plight with the hope of resolving the unpaid scholarship dues to students amicably, stressing, “it is disheartening to note that most of us schooling in different terciary institution’s are indebted to three years scholarship arrears, with no solution in sight.”
The statement viewed with concerns injustice metted against the students over none payment of scholarship.
“Neither the State Assembly, nor Commissioner of Education uttered a word despite presenting our predicaments to them on different occasion on courtesy visit,” the students lamented.
“It would be recalled that the state government had conducted a screening exercise on 28/01/2021.
 “However, after five months, they selected only three schools within the state and disbursed the money to some students.
“Then, they went on to the media and announced that they gave scholarships to all Jigawa State students, it unfair or injustice,” they argued.
It contended that upon  all these injustices that happened, neither the Jigawa State Assembly nor the commissioner of education uttered a word about the matter. 
“While students are suffering from poverty, and some even dropped their studies because of registration fees,  both Assembly members and commissioners  are busy taking their children abroad for studies to the detriment of the masses.
“It is like there is no Students Union Government in this state. This is because the union has failed to discharge its responsibility to fight for students’ welfare. 

“Unfortunately, the acting president of this union is busy travelling from Kano to Katsina, and others states fulfilling the mission of another group he joined sometime ago.
Days ago, leaders of Jigawa State schools’ chapters visited the state capital, Dutse. They met with Special Adviser on students matter  Hon. Baba Lolo on this issue of scholarship. 
His reaction was, if students protest, the government will not ever give scholarships to any indigenes of Jigawa state. That typically showed students have no freedom to struggle for their rights as the constitution of Nigeria allows for freedom of expression under the tenets of fundamental human rights.

Contacted, the Executive Secretary Jigawa State Scholarship Board, Mal. Kamilu Ado Ringim debunked students claim of  scholarship areas as unfounded.
“we’ re up to date in monthly payment of scholarship to our students within and outside the state,” he said.
Speaking in his office on Thursday, the ES Scholarship board declared, “As far as I am concerned, we are not indebted to our students regarding the issue of.payment of scholarship allowance. It is only this year  we witnessed  slight delay due to finances.  All the hurdles have been rectified, I am assuring students of prompt payments soonest,” he declared.
According to him, no  state in the federation pays its students prompt monthly scholarship like Jigawa.
 “We accord priority  to education, hence, our resolve to focus our attention firmly on payment of scholarship allowance to our students,” he asserted.

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