(Monday Editorial)
There has been a series of agitations by the concern stakeholders in Zamfara regarding our students studying in India and Cyprus.
This medium has followed with Keen interest how the plight of these Zamfara students living abroad is degenerating to the level that the government needs to do something very urgently to avoid rendering them in an unending suffering and frustration.
We learned that these students who are studying in Cyprus have been stopped from attending lectures due to the failure of the government to settle their school fees as well evicted from their hostels due to non-payment of their annual rent.
To say the worst this medium gathered that, for more than a year now these students have not been receiving their monthly upkeep making lives very difficult for them since some of them have to resort to accessing funds from their parents back home to be able to get themselves fed and do other necessary things required for survival.
As for the case of those studying in India, this medium gathered that, majority of them have finished their programmes but they were unable to get their result released due to the pending payment to be made by the government of Zamfara state.
We have learned that the money involved in settling the school fees of these students from Zamfara is some home above a billion naira to completely cater for their school fees interest inclusive, visa processing, air ticket as well as other logistics to be able to come back home.
It is our candid position that the government of Zamfara state led by Governor Dauda Lawal should take this issue as purely a humanitarian crisis which required all action to save the lives and futures of these vulnerable students from Zamfara.
From the allegations making round the public it was alleged that the previous government of Bello Matawalle had released all what was required to perfect their programmes but the money was allegedly mismanaged.
This is a complete de-service to the state of Zamfara if the allegations are confirmed and the government needs to investigate the allegations and recover the funds.
But it is equally important to advise the government of Zamfara to please take the matter very seriously and rescue these children because it is a statutory duty of the government to defend the dignity and personal integrity of these students as citizens of the state.
We have concurred with the views of Ahmad Abubakar Maradun that if it requires the government to suspend any other function and rescue these students, so be it because the children represent the potential future and imagery of the state.
We hope the government will heed to this clarion call and do what is necessary in the interest of these children.
As for the future, the government should desist from venturing into an initiative of this nature without proper arrangements to avoid psychological miscarriage on the innocent citizens.
The Ministry of Education shall take further steps to modify the state policy on scholarships so that deliberate pronouncement can be made on what government can do and what it cannot do.
May God almighty torch the heart of the Governor of Zamfara State to help rescue these children.
