By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Rivers State students studying at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have made a heartfelt appeal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, calling for immediate intervention to address challenges they say have lingered for years without attention.
The students expressed deep concern over what they described as long-standing neglect by both past and present administrations in Rivers State, noting that their welfare has been treated with indifference despite persistent cries for support.
Speaking during a meeting of the Rivers State Students Union, ABU Zaria Chapter, its President, Akio Jonah Kikpoye, said many students are struggling to cope due to the absence of bursary support and scholarship opportunities, interventions other states routinely provide to ease the financial burden on their indigenes.
Kikpoye lamented that not a single member of the union has benefited from any form of scholarship or bursary from the state government in recent years.
He explained that the union itself is grappling with financial constraints, leaving it unable to adequately support its members, many of whom face mounting academic and welfare challenges.
He also highlighted the absence of a dedicated Secretariat for the union, a situation he says denies students a proper space for meetings, mentorship activities, and engagements that foster unity and a sense of belonging.
Despite repeatedly presenting these concerns to the previous administration, he said, no meaningful action was taken.
The union president therefore made a passionate appeal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, urging him to intervene by restoring bursary allowances, introducing scholarship support, and providing essential assistance that will help Rivers students in ABU remain focused and excel academically.
Kikpoye further called on well-meaning Rivers indigenes and philanthropists to stand with the students and support their educational journey, describing such intervention as an investment in the future of the state.
