The Borno State Government has said that it would sponsor 30 female citizens of the State to study Medicine at the El-razi Medical University, Khartoum in Sudan.
The 30 female students were drawn from the 27 Local Government areas of the state, according to the State Governor, Governor Kashim Shettima, who launched the programme with presentation of scholarship letter at the Government House Maiduguri.
Governor Shettima also said that the programme was part of the Female Medical Intervention Programme of his administration.
The Governor said, “Having 30 female medical doctors which the State desperately needs is the greatest legacy government can give the state, in view of the fact that women have peculiar health challenges arising from maternity, menstrual and other issues that women would be in the best position to handle as a result of the African culture and religion”.
He noted that 30 female candidates would be sent every year for training as medical doctors and stressed that no amount of money spent on their training would be a waste.
While commending the management staff of the Ministry of Higher Education which facilitated the programme , Governor Shettima directed the Commissioner to add 3 more Christian female candidates and 2 female students from the Northern part of the state to the 30 scheduled for the training and urged the candidates to be good ambassadors of the state and the country.
The State Commissioner of Higher Education, Mr Bello Ayuba said that the education sector has been receiving adequate attention since the coming of the present administration. He explained that the selection of 30 candidates was based on merit. He further disclosed that the ladies had been provided with laptop computers.
According to him, $9500 would be spent on each of them per session, stressing that none of their parents is expected to contribute anything.
The Commissioner added that the 30 students would leave the country for the 4 year programme to Khartoum by Saturday, April 5, 2014. He urged them to reciprocate the gesture by being good ambassadors of the country.
One of the beneficiaries, Falmata Bukar, expressed gratitude to the Governor for sponsoring them for the programme and also promised to reciprocate the gesture.