Prof. Bala Dogo of the Department of Geography, Kaduna State University (KASU), has said that Southern Kaduna people living in Europe, have donated funds to pay the fees of indigent students in the institution.

Dogo said this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna, where 23 of the beneficiaries were called and briefed on the development.

Dogo, who formed the initiative to solicit for funds from friends and other well-to-do individuals from the society, explained that it was to ease the hardships faced by indigent students in the institution.

He noted that Southern Kaduna people living in Europe, donated N1,340,000, while others, including their colleagues from the academia, raised other amounts to take the total to N1.5 million.

“The donors asked us to send them the list of the indigent students upon our request,” he said.

Dogo explained that he set up a steering committee comprising his colleagues in the institution’s bursary, ICT departments and some of the students, to sort out those who mostly deserve  assistance.

He explained that the steering committee agreed that the money would be paid directly to the school and not given to the students to ensure that the donors’ intention is achieved and for the sake of accountability and transparency.

“We set up a criteria which only allows those who needed less than N100,000 to graduate from the University and go for their National service to graduate,” he added.

He solicited for assistance of other well- meaning Nigerians to engage in ameliorating the hardship of students in institutions of higher learning.

“We still have many of those indigent students in the institution, the 23 beneficiaries are only a pilot phase, we have many on our list which we hope to also assist,” Dogo said.

He also encouraged his colleagues in the institution to always try doing something extra and different outside their primary assignments as lecturers and non academic staff in order to help cushion and alleviate the plight of students who may be in need.

A beneficiary, Ms Jenifer Daniel, a 500-level (Final year) student of Environmental Management, described the initiative as ‘impressive’.

She expressed joy, adding that offsetting her school fees would go a long way in ensuring she graduates and goes for her national service on time.

Also, Micheal Enoch, a final year student of Geography, expressed joy, while thanking Dogo for the Initiative.

“I have been having sleepless nights thinking of how to raise the money to pay my fees just to graduate and face other challenges life may throw up,” he said.