By Amos Tauna
Youth members of All Progressive Congress, APC, from Southern Kaduna in northern Nigeria have called on Kaduna State governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai to dissolve the management of the Kaduna State University, KASU, with immediate effect for closing and relocating the Kafanchan Campus to the University main campus.
The youth reminded governor El-Rufai of his earlier promised prior to his election as the governor to upgrade infrastructure of the Kafanchan campus to international standard.
Making their position known in a press statement through its national Secretary, Mr. Victor Asat, said, “Our attention has been drawn to an internal memo with the heading ‘Notice of Resumption’ purportedly written by the management of Kaduna State University urging students of Kafanchan Campus of the institution to resume studies at the main campus in Kaduna
“Your Excellency Sir, you may recall that before the last general elections, precisely, January 1st, 2015, during the Annual Afan Festival, in Kagoro, Kaura Local Government, His Excellency, Muktar Ramalan Yero, the ousted governor, promised the people of Southern Kaduna a University of Science and Technology, while you promised us an upgrade of present infrastructures to international standard.
“We instead, opted for quality rather than quantity, owing to the fact that we are witnesses to most South Western States merging their multiple state universities into one because of acute shortage of funds to keep the institutions going. It was on this premise, among others, that our people trusted and voted you into office.
“The decision of the management of the institution to fold up the Kafanchan Campus of the University therefore, wasn’t part of our political bargain. And having actively participated in mobilizing our people enmasse to vote for our party in the last general elections, we are under intense pressure to answer certain questions.”
The youth noted that there had been series of attacks and suicide bombings in University of Maiduguri, the federal government never dimed it fit to close the institution for any reason, adding, “Why is the case of KASU Kafanchan campus different? Or is there any record of attack/murder of any student (s) if not a mere attempt to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it?
“Why shutting down KASU Kafanchan Campus that is surrounded by the proposed mobile police base, military base and Kafanchan Zonal Police Headquarters but allowing College of Nursing that is 1Km away from security formation or Kaduna State College of Education Gidan Waya that is more than 10km from permanent formations of Security Agencies? Why the special interest in KASU?
“Nigerians are concerned about youth restiveness, hence, self-reliance is the key factor, and Agriculture is the key to economic diversification. The demonstration farm of the Faculty of Agriculture of the university is located in Kafanchan, how can students be trained without practical experience? Is the World now expecting the birth of theoretical Agricultural science graduates without practical experience?
“The university is a product of law; established by State Assembly Act, and to the best of our knowledge, there was never a time a motion to that effect was moved and debated upon in the State Assembly.
“It is also verifiable from the compendium of laws you have signed since the inception of this administration on the state official website that the law establishing the institution has not changed, hence, why the brazen illegality by supposed Professors? We wonder if such a morally challenged University Senate can produce graduates of right moral standing.
“Having completely removed curfew in Jema’a Local Government occasioned by security reports certifying the Local government safe for human habitation, why relocating the campus?
“You swore with the Holy Qur’an to protect all citizens of the state, why giving special priority to University Students and neglecting those in primary, secondary and state owned Colleges of Nursing and Education who are more vulnerable? Or are you planning to equally relocate them to safer zones?”
Meanwhile the Vice Chancellor, Kaduna State University, Professor Muhammad Tanko, has refuted rumour trending in yhe social media that the Kafanchan camous of the state University has been closed down with the view to reclating its activities to the Kaduna main campus.
A statement issued by the Vice Chancellor and issued to newsmen in Kaduna said, “This rumour emanated as a result of a notice of resumption issued by the management of Kaduna State University, Kaduna campus which directed all undergraduate students of Kafanchan campus that the KASU portal would be opened Monday, 22nd May, 2017 for those who were unable to complete their (first semester) registration, they should ensure they do so.”
What thickens the closure rumour, according to the statement was a paragraph in the resumption notice which noted that all students should resume at the Kafanchan campus.
The statement advised students of Kafanchan campus to report at the Consultancy unit of Kaduna State University main campus where they would be allocated accommodation at no cost.
However, making clarifications on the said notice of resumption, the Vice Chancellor explained that, “The current action was taken on the interest of the students so that they can cover the lost semester, catch up and continue with their normal studies pending when the campus is reopened, which academic activities were suspended last December owing to security breakdown in Kafanchan.
