ASUU, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, has allocated a noteworthy N1 million in bursary assistance, benefiting 14 financially disadvantaged students at Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto.
During the Wednesday event, Prof. Nuraddeen Mustapha, the ASUU Chairman UDUS branch, announced that two students secured ASUU national scholarships, each receiving N200,000.
Additionally, 12 other students were granted N50,000 each by ASUU UDUS branch, aiming to alleviate the financial challenges faced by indigent students and promote academic excellence.
Prof. Mustapha highlighted ASUU’s commitment to the bursary scheme across state and federal universities, with one beneficiary per each of the 80 designated institutions nationwide. This year, the initiative expanded to two students per institution in the national ASUU scheme, and the amount increased from N100,000 to N200,000, acknowledging the current financial hardships.
Emphasising that the funds originated from members’ contributions, Prof. Mustapha urged beneficiaries to utilise the money judiciously to achieve their educational goals.
He also mentioned ASUU’s support for Internally Displaced Persons in Sokoto, benefitting approximately 250 individuals with food supplies, totaling about N25 million spent in the North-West region.
The chairman called on citizens to collaborate with ASUU in urging President Bola Tunibu’s administration to shift from a students’ loan scheme to students’ grants, asserting that loans are detrimental to individual and collective development.
ASUU Zonal Chairman, Prof. Abubakar Sabo, represented by Prof. Faruk Tambuwal, praised the gesture as distinctive and encouraging for less-privileged students. The Vice Chancellor of UDUS, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, represented by Prof. Aminu Muhammad, commended ASUU for the initiative, expressing a commitment to sustaining the award for students meeting the bursary criteria.
Prof. Shehu Tsagem, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, and Abdullahi Sanusi, the Students’ Union Government leader, lauded the commendable gesture and appealed for other organizations to follow ASUU’s example. Grateful beneficiaries, including Isa Abdurrashid, Jimoke James, Usman Khalid, Fatima Sani, and Solomon Moses, expressed happiness and assured the judicious use of the financial support.
