Over 1,000 students from Kano South Senatorial District have benefited from the Waraka Scholarship Scheme introduced by Senator Suleiman Kawu-Sumaila between 2023 and 2026.
Kawu-Sumaila, who represents Kano South in the National Assembly, disclosed this on Sunday in Kano during an interactive session organised by his office in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano Correspondents’ Chapel.
The engagement was organised to review his achievements and assess the implementation of campaign promises made during the 2023 general election ahead of the 2027 elections.
The senator said the scholarship programme covered 852 university students and 230 students in colleges of health sciences, with tuition fees paid directly to their respective institutions.
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He explained that 450 beneficiaries also received a monthly stipend of N10,000 through their bank accounts, while accommodation and registration support were provided where necessary.
Beneficiaries
According to him, the beneficiaries included 10 persons living with disabilities, 34 postgraduate students and seven students studying abroad.
Kawu-Sumaila further disclosed that 473 beneficiaries were supported in health-related disciplines, while 278 received assistance in education-related programmes, particularly Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics.
He said the focus on science-related courses was informed by the shortage of qualified science teachers in secondary schools across the senatorial district.
The senator said the scholarship and educational interventions were part of efforts to fulfil his campaign promise to provide 200 teachers, stating that beneficiaries with NCE qualifications were identified for the programme.
He described education as a critical tool for addressing poverty and insecurity, saying that equipping young people with knowledge and relevant skills would improve their employment prospects and promote self-reliance.
He listed Sumaila, Rano, Doguwa, Bebeji, Takai, Kibiya and Garko Local Government Areas among communities that had benefited from his educational interventions.
According to him, the interventions included the provision of 3,000 three-seater desks, 1,000 whiteboards and support for 25 school projects covering primary, secondary, Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools.
He said the accommodation support was introduced to ease the financial burden on students and prevent economic difficulties from disrupting their education.
Kawu-Sumaila also disclosed plans to train and deploy 500 additional health workers across the district before the end of his tenure, with particular emphasis on women.
Earlier, the Chairman of NUJ Kano Correspondents’ Chapel, Murtala Adewale, said the engagement was organised to provide journalists with an opportunity to assess the senator’s performance against his campaign promises since assuming office in 2023.
Adewale stressed that the media had a constitutional responsibility under Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to hold those in government accountable to the people.
He said the interactive session would strengthen democratic accountability by providing the public with information on the senator’s activities, achievements and commitments to his constituents.
