Katsina owes foreign varsities N650m tuition

By Hamidu Sabo
Katsina

Katsina state government is owing three foreign universities a whooping N650 million, being tuition fees and other allowances for over 143 students of the state origin studying abroad, Special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, Professor Badamasi Charanchi, has revealed.

Charanchi, who spoke to newsmen at the weekend, said the debt was accumulated under the immediate past administration in the state.
He listed the universities as those in Jordan, Sudan and Niamey in Niger Republic.
The governor’s aide said the present administration of Aminu Bello Masari, had resolved to appropriate money in the 2017 budget to offset the debt, adding however that government was suspending foreign scholarship owing to lack of funds.

On the activities of his office, Charanchi said about N22.8 million was expended for reconstruction of burnt hostels and staff houses at Yusuf Bala Usman College of Remedial and General Studies. Katsina.
He further said N23.2 million was spent for construction of road network at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University.
According to him, the state government had paid all outstanding scholarship allowances amounting to N569 million and that the administration had set aside funds in 2016 budget to sponsor staff in the department to acquire higher education.