Governor Uba Sani has noted that his administration has removed one of the barriers to acquiring tertiary education, by reducing the tuition fees of Kaduna State-owned tertiary institutions by 50%.
He pointed out that the reduction in tuition fees has paved way for more students from humble backgrounds to bag university degrees with ease in Kaduna State.
Represented by his Principal Private Secretary, Professor Bello Ayuba, the governor spoke at the inauguration of the Kaduna State University chapter of Kaduna State Students Union and public lecture, which held at the university campus.
Sani thanked the students for giving him the Sword of Honour Award and for making the strides recorded by his administration the focal point of the public lecture.
“Government will continue to support students and the youth generally to realize their ambitions,” he said, adding, “On your part, make sure that an atmosphere of peace prevails to allow for government’s development programmes to run their full course.’’
The governor advised students not to allow agents of disunity and chaos to use them to destabilize their communities and steer them away from their career goals.
He reminded the students and lecturers at the event that ‘’no meaningful development can be achieved in a state of chaos, disunity and mutual mistrust.’’
He said: ‘’Going by your conduct over the period that I have been at the helm of affairs of our state so far, you are reliable partners of progress and I can count on you every step of the way.’’
The governor recalled that Kaduna State was under siege owing to the insecurity in some of the Local Government Areas, which had dire consequences on agricultural and business activities.
He noted that the security challenges have now been drastically reduced owing to the combined commitment of security agencies, resulting in safer high ways, people returning to farms and the opening of local markets.
The governor further said that the Birnin Gwari cattle market which had been closed for over 10 years, has been reopened, so have the other markets in security challenged areas in Giwa local government.
Sani also said: “In the last 22 months, we have embarked on the construction of over 78 road projects covering 775 kilometers out of which many have already been completed, most of them link roads in the rural areas.’’
He added that General Hospitals are also being remodelled and a total of 255 healthcare centres are being upgraded, while more schools are being built and the existing ones are being refurbished to enable a more conducive teaching and learning atmosphere.
Explaining why the governor was conferred with the Sword of Honour Award, the students’ body commended him for the reduction in tuition fees and the establishment of new faculties in the school.
The union also said that Sani’s decision to facilitate the CBN Intervention Project for the Faculty of Engineering at KASU was a testament to his vision for building a brighter future for the youth.
‘’Furthermore, your directive to KASU management to allow all students to sit for examinations regardless of outstanding fees underscores your deep concern for the less privileged, ensuring that no student is left behind due to financial constraints,’’ it said.
According to the union, Uba Sani has truly redefined the concept of good governance by prioritising education, infrastructural development and youth empowerment.
