Sokoto uncovers 706 ghost students, saves N29m

The committee set up by the Sokoto State Government to verify the actual number of students entitled to scholarship has uncovered 706 fake candidates and others not qualified for the scheme, saving about N30 million of tax payers’ money.

Chairman of the committee, Ambassador Shehu Wurno, disclosed this while presenting the report to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in Sokoto.

Wurno said that the committee visited 40 tertiary institutions within and outside the country and verified 14, 532 indigenes of the state who qualified for scholarship.

“We have confirmed that the sum of N544, 613,724.00  was the total cost of students registration for the year 2016/2017 academic session while the sum of N143,560,855.00 was calculated as allowances for the number of verified students totaling the sum of N688,174,579.00 amount owed as students registration and allowances for the current  2016/2017 session,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Tambuwal  said his administration would continue to give priority to the education sector.

He said as part of government’s commitment to boost funding, education levy was introduced by the government, where civil servants and political office holders are taxed, to compliment other sources of funding.

“We have so far saved the sum of N260 million through the education levy. We hope to liaise with the state consultative committee on revitilization of education, headed by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad, to continue our work in the education sector,” Tambuwal added.

The governor assured that all the recommendations of the committee would be implemented by the government.

While commending the members of the committee for a diligent job, Tambuwal said no investment in the education sector was too much to make.

He equally tasked commentators to always cross-check their facts before going public, adding that proper checks and balances had been put in place to ensure transparent handling of all public funds in the state.