FOLLOWING certificates withheld, 86 indigent students of Bauchi State, yesterday, cried to the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, over N139 million debts owed Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State.
The students were offered undergraduate scholarships and sponsored by the administration of former Governor of the State, Isah Yuguda, in 2014, and were offered Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Engineering, and other professional courses.
Their plea for intervention by was contained in an open letter addressed to the Governor and signed by President of the 86 sponsored Bauchi students of Igbinedion University, Muhammad Umar.
The letter reads in part:
“First, I would like to express our deepest appreciation for the support and assistance that your esteemed office provided in October 2021, following a meeting held between the university management and government representatives headed by the Secretary to the State Government SSG on your behalf, during which an agreement was reached to settle our outstanding debt in monthly installments.
“Your intervention brought us immense hope and assurance that our educational pursuits would be realised.
“Through your intervention, you have demonstrated that every child, regardless of their background, deserves a chance to thrive and contribute to the development of our great nation.
“Your Excellency, we have exhausted all avenues in an attempt to reach you directly, but unfortunately, our efforts have been in vain. Therefore, we humbly implore you to lend us your unwavering attention and support once again. As the 86 sponsored students, we hail from impoverished backgrounds, and our families possess limited financial means.
“Our certificates have not been released, and we are unable to proceed with the necessary steps for our future endeavours. This predicament has left us stranded and filled with a sense of despair, as our families’ hopes and aspirations rest heavily on our success.”
Meanwhile, the university’s bursar, Emmanuel Imafidon, confirmed the debts owed the institution by the Bauchi state government.
“The government owes us about N139 million. We had a meeting with them in 2021, and they promised to pay within six months. But after making the first payment, they reneged”, Imafidon said.
