Ten indigent students studying different courses in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS). On Friday received scholarships offered by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
The UDUS Branch Chairman of ASUU, Prof. Nura Almustapha, said the national body of ASUU introduced the scheme where a beneficiary gets N100, 000 education support in each of the universities across the country.
Almustapha said when the branch considered the impacts of the bursary scheme, it added another nine students to benefit from N40, 000 education support each.
“The UDUS branch of ASUU saw the need to complement that gesture hence giving scholarship to additional nine indigent students of the institution”, Al-Mustapha said.
He said the union set up a committee to accept students’ applications from less privileged background families in the school.
Almustapha praised the committee for doing a thorough job and appreciated the university management for its support and cooperation.
The Sokoto ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Abubakar Sabo, said ASUU also donated N50 million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in North-West and North-Central zones.
He said the ASUU is the last defender of the common man as it opposes anti-masses policies and promotes better alternatives of doing things to the government aside impacting knowledge.
Sabo said the ASUU also presented N4 million education support to a student with disability in Gombe state, adding that the Union should not be misconstrued as synonymous to strike, rather a body concerned with humanity, equity, justice and development of the country and people.
Earlier, UDUS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, praised the ASUU for the donations and urged beneficiaries to utilise the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Development, Prof. Yusuf Saidu, also inaugurated the fitness centre, describing it as a booster to social interaction and physical fitness.
A beneficiary, Safiyanu Muhammad, thanked ASUU for the support and assured that they would make judicious use of the offer.
Another beneficiary, a 400 level student of Physics Department, Comfort Lawal said the support was commendable, adding that she goes to class most times on empty stomach.
“I sometimes sleep in class without eating anything. At times, I will call people for assistance but all I get most times are excuses and promises.
”I am honestly grateful to the ASUU for putting a smile on my face,’’ she said.
