By Richard Elesho

As part of efforts to promote health and sound learning in the state, the Sokoto State Government says it has commenced the process of sponsoring 200 students to study medicine and other related courses in India.

Malam Imam Imam, Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal on media and public relations said this in a statement he signed on Sunday in Sokoto.

Imam said, “Beside this, the state is encouraging its indigenes to advance their studies in institutions of higher learning, within and outside the country, especially in the fields of science and technology.”

He quoted the Executive Chairman of the state Scholarship Board, Alhaji Altine Kajiji, as saying that the state government had paid a over N3 billion scholarship to its students from 2015 to date, according to the News Agency of Nigetia, NAN.

The governor’s aide said beneficiaries of the tuition fees and upkeep allowances include students studying in U.S.A, United Kingdom, Cyprus, Turkey, Sudan, Antigua, Bangladesh, India, Uganda, and Niger Republic.

‘’The scholarship also includes payments to more than 10,000 Sokoto students in public and private schools across Nigeria.

“Most of the tuition fee payments are up to date, especially for our students in Sudan and Niger Republic.

‘’Efforts have been intensified to make disbursements to students in places where we are not yet up to date in payments.

“Let me state on record that the scholarship Board is receiving all necessary support for the payment of tuition fees and allowances of our students despite the lean financial resources of the state,” he said.

According to Imam, 37 law graduates of the Nigerian Law School who are indigenes of the state have received upkeep allowances to cover the duration of their stay in law schools.

“In addition, their tuition fees were paid in 2016 and each student was also given a laptop to help him or her in the course of his or her study.

‘’The same arrangement has been concluded for this year’s law graduates who just got admitted into law schools.

“The modest achievement so far recorded by the present administration is a clear indication that the state of emergency declared in the educational sector is on the right track.

“We are, therefore, calling on all indigenes to rally round and support the state to enable it achieve the desired objective of making education available and affordable to all Sokoto indigenes.”