Umar Lauya Hardawa, Chairman, Coalition of Students and Youth groups in Bauchi
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government has been called upon to as a matter of urgency provide required land and other contingencies for the immediate take off of the 3 Federal high institutions allocated to the state.
Addressing Journalists on the issues on Wednesday at the NUJ Press Center, COLLATION OF BAUCHI STATE YOUTHS AND STUDENTS GROUPS declared that the dragging of feet by the state government since the institutions were allocated to the state is delaying take off.
Spokesperson of the Coalition, Umar Lauya Hardawa said that the provision of educational and jobs opportunities for the teaming unemployed youths should be given priority by any responsible government.
He said that, “I have the full knowledge of the request by the Federal Ministry of Education, via both print and electronic media, to the Bauchi State Government under Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulqadir PDP-led administration to provide sites for the construction of three New Federal Institutions of higher learning here in Bauchi State. These institutions”.
The institutions are Federal University of Health, Nutrition and Medical Science in Azare, Katagum Local Government; Federal Collage of Education Jama’are, Jama’are Local Government and Federal Technical Collage in Misau, Misau Local Government.
He also said that, “I must use this medium to, respectfully, remind the Bauchi State Government that, provision of education to its citizens is a right not a privilege. And as thus, we are urging the Executive Governor to as a matter of utmost importance, direct the Bauchi State Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Education, to stop singing and start swinging to action in respect of the provision of land and all necessary requisites for the commencement of the construction of the said institutions”.
According to Umar Lauya, “There is no time to keep playing politics with issues that have direct bearing on the lives of the youths and students, because they constitute a reasonable percentage of the voting population, as well as, the future generations of every society” .
He stressed that, “In as much as the youths will be left roaming the streets without jobs, and students without creating means of furthering their education, I must assure you that we are sitting on a time bomb that could explode at anytime in the nearest future”.
The coalition Chairman opined that as a result of the delay in the allocation of lands for the take off due to lukewarm attitude of the Baachi State major stakeholders in the the institutions, the opportunity of being captured in the 2022 budget for the required funding of the three institutions in question has been missed.
“We are therefore advising all the authorities concerned, to keep in mind that 2023 is a LAME DUCK SEASON – a period of politicking and electioneering campaigns out of the last four (4) year tenure of the federal government that will elapse in 2023. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW OR NEVER”.
According to him, the situation in other states should serve as not just a reminder for the Bauchi State Government to live up its expectations by providing jobs and educational opportunities to its populace, but as well, to serve as a clarion call to replicate our neighboring states.
