It is a sunny afternoon. The sun bellows pellucidly, caressing innocent trees and flowers – whirling North to West, West to North. It encroaches on land and rests halfway on innocent faces going to and fro along the tarred road facing the university senate building.
Some yellow and blue academic files in his hand, his face was bathed in sweat which trickled down his back. “Where would I pay my school fees? Do I have to go to the town anytime I want to pay or withdraw?” He choked in anger, unable to finish the sentence.
A new student, Aliyu Abdulateef, an undergraduate student of chemistry education, walks with weariness and tiredness visibly written on his face under the scorching sun to the university mini market where the only point of sales stall (a FirstMonie Agent) in the university is. Armed with cash, he wants to pay his school fees, but he could not. Disappointed, his eyes wear a menacing glare; the school has no bank branch nor ATM gallery to meet his needs. Fear grips him. Tears find solace in his eyes; it is the deadline for the payment of school fees. Annoyed, he journeys to Dongodaji, Maiduguri road where most banks are located – a 30 minutes drive away from the varsity – to pay his school fees.
Abdulateef was just one of the thousand students of Sokoto State University who storm Dongodaji, Maiduguri Road to perform transactions such as deposit, withdrawal, payment of school fees or any other charges as may be demanded by the university management.
Such is the everyday plights of students in the varsity. Sokoto State University, Sokoto is a state-owned institution that officially commenced academic activities in October, 2013 (ie. 2013/2014 academic session).
But, five years after, despite her state-of-the-art facilities, the varsity has no bank branch or ATM gallery to midwife the monetary needs of her students. Hence, students who could not afford to queue at the ever-busy only point of sales stall in the varsity would have to journey miles to perform the transaction at banking halls within sokoto metropolis.
“We go to bank or opt for e-banking, that is risky though. But most often, we go to the Banks at Dogondaji for any transactions” says Abdullateef
He noted that the there is the need for the management to lure banks into the school in order to ease the routine ordeals of travelling miles before they could bank.
But, Abdulmajeed Danladi alleged that the school is making no moves to lure banks into the school. The 200 level student of Islamic studies added that the only POS stall in the school serves the whole university community which he said could not quench the needs of the students.
“We patronise a POS stall at the cafeteria. There is no bank in the school, and to be candid with you I do not think the school management is making any moves presently.”
“Imagine a kiosk serving the whole university, it unfair gaskiya. I go to town at least once in a week to deposit or withdraw, and this is how others do as well” Abdulmajeed added, adjusting his poise under the acacia tree he sits, hungry for fresh air.
“We have a bank. That is our own bank ” Bolu snapped, pointing at the POS stall
The 100 level student of political science noted that she preferred going to town to patronising the only POS stall in the varsity. She alleged that the fear of being robbed or attacked might have augmented the absence of bank branches or ATM gallery in the school.
“We do not use the stall; we do go to the town. They say because the school is located in the suburb of Sokoto, there is the tendency that the ATM might be robbed by miscreants” she said while her friend, Biodun, nod in an affirmation.
She continued “Even if we want to withdraw ?1000 or ?2000, we have to go to town. The transport fare is not favorable; we pay ?300 to and fro. At least, going to bank is more reliable than the stall”
Bolu’s claim is substantiated by Ahmad Sulaiman, a 300 level student of Computer Science and Education. He, therefore, urged the management to facilitate banks into the school for the convenience of the students.
“We suffer a lot. We spend 200 to 300 if we want to go to the town maybe just to withdraw 1000 naira. I pray and hope they (the school management) will bring a bank into the campus”
At the POS stall, if you want to withdraw ?1,000 you have to pay ?100 naira and if you want to credit your account you have to pay 200 naira” he added.
When this reporter visited the POS stall, the FirstMonie agent who simply identified himself as Abdulrahman said that he charges based on the denomination students want to deposit or withdraw. He charges ?100 for ?1,000, ?150 for ?2,000 to ?3,000 and ?250 for ?4,000 on withdrawal. #200 on deposit of #1000.
NOT ONLY SOKOTO STATE UNIVERSITY
CBN statistics reported by The Nation Newspaper in the late 2018 revealed that over 37 per cent or 60 million of the Nigeria population are unbanked and about 46 per cent of bankable Nigerians do not have access to other financial services. Notwithstanding, this menace has also crept into the lair of some higher institutions communities, mostly state government-owned, in Sokoto State. Apart from Sokoto State University, Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic and except for an Access bank ATM gallery at Shehu Shagari college of Education, Sokoto, do not also have banking halls to cushion students monetary needs and savings. Hence, students travel from their campuses to banking halls within the metropolis.
Mansur Isah, an NDII student of civil engineering Umaru Aliyu Shinkafi Polytechnic, expressed dissatisfaction at the rigor students faced while banking outside the school. He noted that students are often vulnerable as well spend big on transport fare whenever they go outside to deposit or withdraw. He, therefore implored the school management to make luring Banks into the school a priority.
Honestly
“is not fair.” Mansur says, “I visit danfodiyo once every two weeks just to withdraw, even though I used the opportunity to visit my friend in the school as well, it is not convenient for us as students to go out anytime we need money, we also need bank”
“money we used as transport fare is enough to buy materials. I urge the management to look into the matter because it is very important”
Sadiq Mariam, a Year I student of Primary Education, Shehu Shagari college of education, Sokoto, recounted her ordeals in the wake of banking outside the school campus. She lamented that as a new student she had to visit bank on daily basis to complete her registration such as purchase of the registration form and payment of school fees.
According to www.quora.com, a question-and-answer website, earlier days, bank branches are opened in unbanked areas. However, today, branches are opened on the basis of the bank assessment of potential, profitability and requests received from the public.
On the guidelines for the establishment of branches and other outlets for banks in Nigeria, the CBN in the exercise of its statutory powers under the section 33 (1)(b) of the CBN Acts and section 6 of the Banks and other financial institutions Acts (BOFIA) issued guidelines and minimum requirements for establishing branches and other banking outlets. It stated thus:
“An application to open/close/merge/downgrade/upgrade a branch or other banking outlet shall be accompanied by all documentation requirements provided for in these Guidelines. (2). Banking outlets other than branches must be affiliated to specific branches which should be clearly stated in banks’ applications.”
On documentation required for establishing a Branch, it stated thus:
“An application should be accompanied by the following; (1.) A resolution of the Board of Directors approving the establishment of the branch stating the estimated cost of the outlet; (2.) A detailed feasibility report, which should cover the following (a.) Suitability of the location including evidence of commercial and industrial establishments; (b.) Basic social and infrastructural facilities in place; (c.) Competition/number of banks in the area; (d) Range of products and services to be provided.
(e.) Estimated initial capital expenditure and other operating costs for the proposed branch with breakdown of the estimates; (f.) Financial projection for the proposed branch – at least 3 years Statements of Financial Position and Income Statement including notes and assumptions on the projection; (g.) Staffing requirements; and (h.) Security arrangement in place to ensure safe operations.”
Nonetheless, the Dean Students’ Affairs, Sokoto State University, Dr. Nasir Ibrahim Tambuwal, while speaking with this reporter reiterated the varsity commitment in luring banks into the school. He revealed that the school is in talks with banks in a bid to ease the tauts student faced while banking outside the university community.
“Banks used to come to the university to advertise their products, and in fact I could remember there are three banks – UBA, First Bank and one other bank – that showed interest and discussed with the management about building their branches in the University”
He added: in fact, the university is ever ready to accommodate them, even if it is a mini branch so that the university, surrounding villages and even travellers would benefit”
The DSA said that the banks might be studying the situation given the location of the university, but assured that banking halls would soon be erected in the varsity.
“As I am speaking with you, the management is in talks with the banks to start mounting the structure, I believe they are still studying the situation”
When asked if the school is aware of the point of sales (POS) stall in the university, Dr Tambuwal replied that the management approved of his activity after consultations at the council meeting. He replied: “Although there is someone at the school mini market rendering the services to our students after consultations with the school management, it is not as convenient as a banking hall where student can perform as many transactions they want without paying charges.”
Abiodun Jamiu is a 200 Level student of Political Science Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto.
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