Gombe State Students Association has said students in the state have been thrown into hardship as a result of failure by the state government to pay their scholarships for over seven months. Even as they called on the government to as a matter of urgency look into the matter.
Speaking to newsmen in Gombe over the issue, Financial Secretary of the Union Comrade Mustapha Umar said students from the state who are currently studying in various tertiary institutions in the country were not happy over the non- payment of scholarships despite all effort by the leadership of the union to resolve the matter with the state government.
“Our students are urging the state government to look into this matter and pay our scholarships because students are putting pressure on us. we have done our best, for the past three months we have been following all processes to ensure our students receive their scholarships but we are yet to achieve our aims.” He said
According to him, there were about 180 000 students across the country with about 120, 000 who have applied for the scholarship but government has continue to give deaf ear to their problems.
Recalling that government has initially promised to increase their scholarships but has failed to even pay the initial amount it was supposed to pay. He adding that Gombe state is currently the only state in the entire northeast region that is paying its students less amount for scholarship.
Asked whether there was any political influence behind their agitation, Comrade Mubarak Abubakar Former President Gombe State Student Association ATBU who doubles as member of the national body senate said the union leadership was only projecting the opinion of all students in the state; he however declined being influenced by any political party.
According to him the students are aware of the efforts by the government in many areas particularly infrastructural development and education in the state, but urged that government should do more by adhering to their plea.
