By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) and the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) have endorsed the re-election of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The two student associations declared their positions during a Colloquium organised on Thursday in appreciation and recognition of the performance of AbdulRazaq in the education sector.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students convened the programme in Ilorin during which the state government formally handed over two Sienna Buses to both NAKSS and the state chapter of NANS.
Earlier, Mr Hassan Hawal, the NAKSS Senate President who spoke on behalf of the students, said the education sector had experienced significant improvement since the advent of AbdulRazaq’s administration.
He described the intervention as a paradigm shift in the literacy level of the state, adding that students in the state public schools now compete favourably with their counterparts anywhere in the world.
Hawal recalled that many state owned tertiary institutions were shutdown due to unpaid salaries of lecturers and non-accreditation of courses before the present administration.
He added that the present administration had provided funding for the process leading to reopening of schools for academic activities.
The NAKSS senate president said students of the state origin are proud of the achievements of the governor in the education sector, pledging their support for his administration.
Dr Afeez Alabi, the state Commissioner for Tertiary Education, assured that it placed high premium on developing the state into a model that would be second to none.
He said this is being achieved through various developmental projects and programmes in line with the ‘Ise Nlo’ (work continues) mantra upon which the present administration is anchored.
The commissioner said that the commitment of the state government towards the welfare of students of the state origin is immeasurable in view of numerous programmes it has undertaken to better their lives.
“The scholarship and bursary awards as well as free transportation for indigent students in various tertiary institutions are part of the programmes designed to mitigate the adverse effects of the economy on them,” he said.
Alabi added that the state government is not unaware of the meagre resources at its disposal but continued to accord other sectors of governance critical attention required.
“Gov. AbdulRazaq is a golden fish and a man with many coat of arms, who has contributed immensely not only to the students’ constituency but to other sectors of the state.
“This had improved on the quality of lives for all and sundry in the face of available meagre resources for Kwara State Government.
“The untiring effort of the governor towards the students’ constituency is immeasurable,” he said.
According to him, the current administration placed high premium on developing the state to a model, which will be second to none through its programmes and to ensure that procedures are followed as stipulated by law.
On his part, Alhaji Abubakar Buhari, the state Commissioner for Communications, stated that the election of AbdulRazaq in 2019 was a masterstroke that changed the narrative in the education sector.
He urged the people of the state to reciprocate the gesture by voting for the governor in his second term bid. (NAN)
