“Reestablishing the Truth: Clarifying the Salame Case in the Student Scholarship Scheme at UDUS
After a thorough investigation by the Chairman and Secretary of the 23-Commune Coordinators Forum of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Ra’is Umar and Shu’aibu Nasir respectively, a statement was issued to the media in Sokoto. The student representatives sought to dispel allegations of malfeasance against Salame in the scholarship scheme, noting that the students were directly affected by the matter.
As a coalition of the 23-commune student representatives in Sokoto State at UDUS, we wish to rectify the unfounded claims.
The coalition of student coordinators was part of the committee set up by the Sokoto State government to verify students in each commune and oversee the proper allocation of scholarship funds. studies. The Ministry of Local Government handled and facilitated the payments of the scholarships through funds allocated to each local government, the coalition said.
The Office of the Special Adviser on Students Affairs played a supervisory role throughout the verification process, after which a report was drafted and signed by the coordinators and other representatives of the students’ unions.
They stressed that the Ministry of Local Government handled all payments directly to the university and that no funds were handled by the coalition or the Office of the Special Adviser.
The coalition further explained that some students were missed due to issues with the Remita payment platform, where the National Identification Numbers of some students were not registered under the Sokoto Local Governments.
During the verification exercise, some students encountered issues with Remita, while others had their original verification handled by their district heads due to complications related to indigeneity status. Some students have also faced problems with the university system, such as technical errors or academic inadequacies, thus delaying their payment.
Currently, a committee is verifying these cases and working with the state government to finalise their payments, the body assured.
The coalition added that out of 8,600 students identified as Sokoto natives, 5,996 have been screened and verified by the committee. They said the committee has worked diligently to reinstate struggling students and ensure their fees are covered. However, the anomalies need to be addressed to ensure transparency in the system.
All the procedures have been openly communicated to students through various platforms, inviting those with issues to come forward for resolution.
It would be recalled that a group of students, led by Usman Yahuza, alleged that although the state government approved fees payments for 5,994 students at UDUS, only 5,290 have received their payment, leaving 774 unpaid.
In the interest of transparency and fairness, it is essential to clarify any ambiguity regarding the distribution of scholarship funds to UDUS students. By ensuring the veracity of facts and procedures, the authorities can restore the confidence of students and ensure fair management of resources allocated to education.”