Kano Can Establish another University, sasy Gov Kwankwaso

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state said that his administration has the political will and resources to establish a University of Education in the state, so as to meet with the increasing demand for tertiary education.

The governor, who stated this while receiving national officials of Senior Staff Union Colleges of Education in Nigeria, SSUCOEN, said education, remained the topmost priority of his administration, pointing out that no investment in education will go in vain.

“I believe this is the time to do most of these things because it does not cost us much and it means so much to so many people”, governor Kwankwaso said, adding that the government will be glad to get a proposal on how to go about the project from SSUCOEN.

He said that considering the importance of education in the society, a lot has been spent to improve the standard at the primary level, explaining that already, arrangements are on top gear to establish a College of Education (Technical) at Minjibir local government, to enhance teacher education in the state.

He then advised lectures of tertiary institutions to be considerate before embarking on industrial action, saying “Strike doesn’t help anybody. We are ready to listen to our lectures and to the entire people of Kano state on whatever problems they have. What we don’t want is to see our workers putting down their tools”.

The National president, Senior Staff Union Colleges of Education in Nigeria, SSUCOEN, Muhammad Sani Awaisu, who had earlier decorated the governor with an award of excellence for his commitment to education, advised the state government to transform Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso to a university in view of its standard facilities and infrastructure, as well as the teeming student population in Kano.

Meanwhile, governor Kwankwaso has expressed appreciation to the government of the Republic of Sudan for giving scholarships to Nigerians, particularly indigenes of Kano, to study in Sudanese universities. Such gesture, he stated would cement the long-standing bilateral relations.

The governor stated this when he received the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Sudan in Kano, Shiekh Muhammad bn Uthman El-Tayyeb. His administration, he reaffirmed, is appreciative of the brotherly support of Sudan and reiterated his commitment to strengthen areas of mutual socio-economic benefit.

He noted Sudanese in Nigeria have always as considered Kano as a second home in view of the long standing relationship between peoples of the two countries, and most especially in light of the contributions of Sudanese nationals to the development of the Nigeria’s economy.

Governor Kwankwaso showered praises on the late Sudanese Consul in Kano, Sheikh Uthman El-Tayyeb, OFR, who settled Kano in 1939, for his philanthropy as well as immense investment in commerce and education in Kano, urging his family to keep the spirit alive.

In his speech, the envoy, Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthman El-Tayyeb told the governor that about 1,000 Nigerians from Kano were offered scholarship by the Sudanese government in the past, while 40 more students, will be offered full scholarships to study Medicine and other social science courses in various Sudanese universities in the next academic session.

He maintained that Nigeria-Sudan relations had existed long before colonial times and assuring that his country is willing to work with Nigerian authorities for mutual benefit.