Envious of developmental strides in Kano State, youths under the aegis of North East Youth Progressive Union and Coalition for Democratic Rights Group have challenged governors in the northern states to emulate Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s template of poverty alleviation and human capital development which they described as practical and impacting.
The North-East youth groups made the call in Yola, Adamawa State capital, where they converged for a press conference on Wednesday.
The Kano State government under the watch of Governor Yusuf has rebirth an education-for-masses policy started by former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which provided opportunities for free basic education, local and foreign scholarships with over 1,001 meticulously selected postgraduate students already departing for studies in India from last week.
Speaking, the chairman of the groups, Kabir Hassan Sambo, expressed worries over the huge disparity in educational opportunities between north and southern parts of the country, advocating for the immediate replication of Kano’s educational transformation agenda in the region faced by diverse socioeconomic challenges.
Sambo said: “It is worthy of note that Governor Yusuf within the last 5 months has paid for the tuition, Feeding, and accommodation of 1001 postgraduates students to India”.
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He has also paid the Senior Secondary school examination fees (NECO) for 57,000 students and tuition fees of 7,000 students at Bayero University, and tertiary institution students in Kano are now granted 50 percent discount on their fees.
“Furthermore, he has reopened 26 Skills acquisition institutes for training and empowerment of residents of Kano State.
“We really need all northern governors to emulate these steps by Kano and to prioritise education and human capital development.”
Highlighting the political and economic importance of Kano to other parts of the north, the northeast youth said, “We are aware that the tribunal sacked this man that has renewed the hope of the youths in northern Nigeria.
“As with the youth in Kano, the northern youths are watching the appeal process. There must be Justice. Justice is the bedrock of democracy and if the judicial system fails the people, then democracy is in jeopardy.”
The youth noted that they were not unmindful of the role Kano State plays as the centre of commerce and political activities of northern Nigeria both in the past and present, adding that it was necessary for the political gladiators to play politics that will bring succour to the people and not otherwise.
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