Abuja – The Zamfara State government has taken steps to alleviate the challenges faced by students sponsored to Cyprus International University by the previous administration under former Governor Bello Muhammed Matawalle. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mallam Wadatau Madawaki, addressed these issues during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, expressing the current administration’s commitment to supporting the affected students.
Madawaki outlined the difficulties faced by the 93 Zamfara indigenes who were sent to study various courses at Cyprus International University in 2020. He noted that the sponsorship process, although intended to provide educational opportunities, was plagued by “dishonesty and outright selfishness,” with no formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the university. This lack of documentation, he explained, left the responsibilities of each party unclear and led to significant issues for the students.
He also criticized the previous administration’s handling of the students’ welfare. According to Madawaki, a consultant was hired to negotiate the students’ admissions and associated arrangements, including accommodation and meals. However, the university charged the students for meals they did not receive, contributing to their financial hardships. Matters worsened in 2022 when the Matawalle administration abruptly halted funding for the students, leaving them to face financial distress and accumulating debts.
Madawaki emphasized that Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration is determined to rectify these issues. He disclosed that after engaging with university officials, the Zamfara State government made significant payments to cover outstanding fees. On November 13, 2023, a total of N84.7 million was sent to the university to address tuition fees, and an additional N30.9 million was provided to student leaders to cover accommodation costs for the next three to six months.
Despite these efforts, Madawaki revealed that discrepancies continued to surface, including issues with the university’s billing practices. A recent delegation sent to Cyprus discovered that students had been placed under deportation orders due to unresolved financial issues. The Nigerian Embassy is currently working with the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the situation.
The commissioner also pointed out systemic failures within the university’s bursary department, which reportedly mismanaged student accounts and withheld crucial payment information. “There are elements of dishonesty and insincerity that must be addressed,” Madawaki stated.
In response, the Zamfara State government is working to restore normalcy for the affected students by settling outstanding accommodation and meal fees, as well as renewing expired passports and residency permits. Additionally, Governor Lawal’s administration has also been commended for addressing pending scholarship payments for other Zamfara students studying in India and at Crescent University in Abeokuta.
Madawaki concluded by reaffirming the current administration’s dedication to supporting the educational aspirations of Zamfara indigenes, stating, “We are committed to rectifying the wrongs of the past administration and ensuring that our students receive the support they deserve.”
