ZAMFARA ASSEMBLY URGES FOR IMMEDIATE RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS AS IT RECALLS TWO SUSPENDED MEMBERS

ZAMFARA ASSEMBLY URGES FOR IMMEDIATE RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS AS IT RECALLS TWO SUSPENDED MEMBERS

The Zamfara State House of Assembly has called on the state government to immediate re-open public schools in the state.

The state government had in September, 2021 closed down all schools in the state following kidnappings of 73 students at Government Girls Secondary Schools, Kaya in Maradun local government area of the state.
The assembly also recalled two of its members Yusuf Muhammad of Anka Constituency and Ibrahim Tukur of Bakura Constituency who were suspended in October, 2021 for allegedly aiding banditry in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Wednesday by the Director General Press Affairs and Public Relations to the house, Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura.
The statement read: the state house of assembly has passed a resolution calling on the government to consider re-opening of both state owned and private schools in the state.

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This followed a motion moved by  Chairman House Committee on Basic, Secondary and Non formal Education,Yusuf Kanoma of Maru North Constituency  at the assembly’,s plenary.
Kanoma said that continued closure of schools in the state causing more harm to the education development of the state.

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According to him, there is need for  urgent intervention to consider re-opening of schools in the state to avoid its implications to future education of children in the state”, Jafaru-Kaura said
Since there is relative peace being enjoyed in some part of the state that led to the re-opening of some weekly markets and restoration of telecommunication networks in the state.

Government should reconsider this motion to re-open schools in some locations of the state”,
He also urged government to consider merger of final year students of female boarding schools to improved peace areas”, he added.

After various deliberations, the lawmakers unanimously agreed with the motion.
The Majority Leader of the House, Faruk Dosara said security measures must be put in place before decision to re-open schools in order to avoid security challenges experience in the past.
He said security agencies should collaborate with vigilante groups, Ministry of Education as well as host communities to keep the schools safe.

The Speaker, Nasiru Magarya described the motion as a timely.
Magarya directed the Secretariat of the House to forward resolutions of the house to the office of the Secretary to the State Government for implementation with Immediate effect”, he explained.

Meanwhile, during the plenary the house also considered and adopted the recommendations of ethics and privileges committee of the house that investigated the two suspended members of  for alleged supporting banditry.
The Speaker noted that the committee exonerate the lawmakers and strongly recommend for their immediate recall back to their respective seats.

He said house unanimously agree to recall back their colleagues since they have been exonerated from the allegations against them which to effect from next legislative year beginning from January 15th 2022.
The House also consider and adopted all the recommendations contained in the report of the house Public Accounts Committee on the 2020 State Auditor general’s Report presented by the Deputy Speaker of the house, Musa-Bawa Musa”, he added.