today:
Zamfara governor faults criticism of discriminatory tuition
From Isah Ibrahim,
Gusua
THE Zamfara State government may have only adopted an existing policy in the North, when it recently introduced separate fees for non-indigenes in its primary and secondary schools.
In a defence of the measure yesterday in Gusau, the state capital, Governor Ahmed Sani said that the discriminatory fees were not new in the North.
Its indigenes in states such as Sokoto and Kaduna, Sani explained, were paying higher fees than students from the two states.
He specifically cited the case of Sokoto where Zamfara indigenes were dismissed from schools and had to return home because they could not afford the N40,000 a year fees students from other states were charged by the Attahiru Bafarawa government.
Under the new regime, non-indigenes in Zamfara primary schools will pay N5,000 per term, while their counterparts in female primary schools are to cough out N10,000.
For non-indigenes in the state's boarding secondary schools, the govern`ment charges them N25,000 per term and N10,000 for day students.
Sani declared yesterday that the new fees were irreversible, and hinted of a possible upward review before the end of his tenure.
He told journalists at the Government House that school fees charged to non-indigenes was done in good faith.
The governor stated that plans were under way by the state government to introduce similar fees for indigenes.
Sani said: "What actually happened is that we came to understand that our indigenes studying in Sokoto State were sacked from their schools because of their inability to pay N40,000 as school fees per annum. Then, I phoned Kabbi State governor. He also confirmed to me that his indigenes were also sacked from Sokoto State schools.
"Later, we met (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara governors) and resolved to join our counterparts in the federation by introducing school fees for non-indigens as it is happening in Kaduna and other states."
He faulted his critics who accused the state of segregating other citizens.
According to him, since the inception of his administration five years ago, non-indigenes in Zamfara schools had been enjoying free education, uniforms, exercise books, text books just like the indigenes of the state.
He described his state's school fees as the least in any state in the federation.
The governor revealed that about N990 million was required for the rehabilitation of the state's schools while another N1 billion was needed to furnish them.
Sani said he would start his yearly leave on Monday next week.
During the period, Sani said he would spend two weeks abroad with his wife and child.
He said: "For the past five years, I have never been on leave but I now realise that one needs to have a rest, and I observed that there will be no problem or fear if I embark on the break. So, I am starting my holidays from Monday, July 12 to August 12 this year."
Sani appealed to the people to co-operate with his deputy, Alhaji Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi to keep the state on course and achieve the desired results.
Meanwhile, the state government has asked for 150 mobile policemen from the Forum Headquarters, Abuja to boost security in the state.
The Governor's Special Adviser on Security Matters, Captain Abubakar Aliyu (rtd) told newsmen in Gusua on Tuesday that the request had already been sent to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun.
"The state government found it necessary to request for more reinforcement of Police due to the recent increase in the number of armed robbery cases along the roads leading to the neighbouring states.
"The overall rate of crime has drastically reduced, but we have noticed an increase in the activities of criminals at the neighbouring border towns," he said.
Aliyu said that the state's Police Command in the state had been alerted on the issue.
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