I cut grass to support myself go to school – Gov. Masari

By Bashir Bello

KATSINA – Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina on Thursday while charging students to seize every positive opportunity at their disposal to improve on their education, said he cut grass to support himself in primary school.

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Governor Masari said he has to cut grass to put breakfast on his table the following morning before going to school.

The Governor made this known during the maiden matriculation of about 136 students of the Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management, KSITM.

He urged the students to strive for themselves, utilise positive opportunities that comes their way positively instead of waiting for help to come from someone.

According to him, “On holidays get something doing. Sell sugarcane, maybe you need only N1,000 to start a business of sugarcane selling or Dates (Dabino) or Tiger nuts (Aya) selling. There are so many things you can do with your lives.

“When we were in school, a primary school, we went to cut grass. I have to cut grass if I want to break for the following morning. So it is possible, there are a lot of work to do but people feel so important that they are beyond certain jobs. Nobody is beyond means of supporting himself. You say you are too big, you cannot sweep the road, pick polythene bags but you go and beg. And if the person doesn’t give you, you abuse the person, which is the worst situation? Waiting for somebody,” he said.

He assured that government will continue to support the education sector in the state particularly that it is it first and topmost priority.

Earlier, the rector of the institution, Dr. Babangida Abubakar Albaba said the institute is fashion out to produce prosperous, self-reliant, innovative and entrepreneurial individuals.

“Here at KSITM, we will aid you to unlock your potentials and make you find your true self. The institute is designed to give you a smooth transition from the academic world into the larger society. You will become innovators and entrepreneurs after the completion of your courses of specialisation.

“You are therefore expected to utilise all the facilities made available to you such as E-library and other online resource materials provided by the institute,” Albaba said.

Meanwhile, the institute matriculated the 136 students in various courses of Networking and System Security (49 students), Software Engineering (41 students) and Banking Operations (46 students).

Osinbajo Receives Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo In Aso Rock

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday evening received President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, at Akinola Aguda House, his official residence.

The two leaders highlighted the critical role that Nigeria and Ghana play as the “centrepiece” of ECOWAS and the West African sub-region.

President Akufo-Addo thanked Acting President Osinbajo for receiving his delegation on a special day, when Nigeria was commemorating Eid El-Fitr.

He said that his visit was part of an ongoing tour of the sub-region to “take stock of what’s going on, and to renew relations.”

Acting President Osinbajo on his part thanked the Ghanaian President for visiting Nigeria, adding, “We’re extremely excited about the ECOWAS sub-region and hope that we will be able to do a lot together.”They discussed the forthcoming African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, ongoing negotiations on the Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), and the revitalization of the Ghana-Nigeria Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation.

Both leaders pledged to intensify bilateral cooperation for the benefit and development of the sub-region.

The Ghanaian President also extended his good wishes to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Members of the President Akufo-Addo’s delegation included Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah; and officials of the Foreign Ministry.