By Shehu Ahmed Buwayi
I view at far, the implementation of Governor Abba’s education Programmes/Policies envisaged to improve the Standard and quality of education in Kano State. No serious minded person will doubt the Kwankwasiyya in-puts and good intention in education, however, revolving same drugs to particular illness without cure is wasteful of State resources and will have much consequences in near future.
No doubt, the Kwankwasiyya leadership of 2011 – 2015 pioneered the Home – Grown – School – Feeding aimed at improving the School enrolment, attendance in Primary Schools and assumed of stimulating local agricultural production and empowerment of women at the grassroots. Equally, the Two State Universities in Wudil and Kofar Waika, Kano were established by the leader of the movement, the provisions of uniform to Primary Schools Pupils and Textbooks to the enrolled ones, whose population is more than that of some States of the federation (Accounts over 3 Million pupils).
- The area they excel was the mass sponsorship of Post-graduate Students abroad to further their education. This is the area that His Excellency Governor Abba, with due respect, blindly made blunders for spending over a Billion Naira to sponsor 1001 Post Graduate Students at Indian and Ugandan Universities!! Why these countries not Oxford or Cambridge in UK??? Spending such outrageous amount to sponsors Post graduates not choiced under graduate disciplines is suicidal and unfortunate and exposed the immaturity or blind following of the leader of the movement.
- My concern with Governor Abba’s actions was the amount involve, timing of the spending and deliverate refusal to re-Visit the consequences of the products of past exercise by his mentor and Godfather, Distinguished Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. Let’s take for instance, the Pilots the Senator sponsored, of which I wrote to Mr Abba and shown the mistakes which I placed on the bureaucracy whose role was to advice the political leadership rightly. I understand Many of the trained pilots are engaged as teachers, while some are on their own, practice the skills they know better: trading, tailoring, etc. My investigation has it that the Kwankwasiyya Leader approached One of the Business Tychoon in Kano Who recently ventures into aviation business for Jobs to his ‘trained Pilots,’ they were found not qualified and only offered them ticket Sales at the Just established Air line! Haba, why continue making the same mistakes! Is this because the resources is not Your personal belongings, simply because you are elected be in-charge?
- Many questioned the desperation of Kwankwasiyya Administration for the Post graduate sponsorship abroad despite existing of Better Universities in Nigeria and at cheaper rate??? Even the TetFund, where Dr. Bichi got prominence has suspended sponsorship abroad due to so many reasons; amongst which is the cost. Why Kano State Government ‘wasting’ It’s scarce resources in this unproductive venture? Again why Use Consultants, instead of direct negotiation between the Scholarship Board and the respective University authorities, which was the Traditions in the past? Many alleged of a grand arrangement for some people to keep more money in their Foreign Accounts to enable them purchased more properties abroad!!! If this allegation is true then, Sorry for the Kano ‘Talakawas’ Haba, ‘Ina amanar? Ashe Kowa ce Gautar Ja ce, sai de in ba ta Sha Rana ba?’ Where is the prudence, you are talking about? They all love the Dollars, they are accused somebody of collecting illegally.
- The late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory has done similar exercise with different countries under High level diplomatic negotiations (Bulgarian and Soviet Union, etc) not through Consultants. I am surprise for choice of India as destinations for the Kano State Post graduate Scholars, I could vividly remember the 1970’s and 1980’s the Federal Civil Service Commission rated Indian degree equal to NCE Certificate and have them same emolument: GL. 07.
Many of our Indian graduates We work with are still in the Assistant Cadre in the Federal Service. Merit has been thrown to the dogs in Malam Aminu Kano’s State! What will Kano State benefits from this wasteful exercise? Afterall, those sponsored are not in the Government Service! Did the State Plan Jobs for them when they concluded the theorical part or they will come and join our unemployed children that graduated for almost Seven years at home without jobs? Kano State Citizens need answer to all these Questions, as warranted by the Free Information Act.
Finally, if i offended any One I am sorry, just was derived by my inquisitiveness!!!
Shehu writes from Bakin Kasuwa, Azare, Bauchi State.
