By: Bello Galadi,
1. Good day Your Excellency. I hope you are having a pleasant week.
2. Few days ago, the management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi introduced compulsory drug (toxicology) tests to all undergraduate students of the University.
The rationale behind the policy, according to the University Management was to check the rate of drug abuse and the state of mental health of the students.
3. In truth, this attempt is highly commendable. There is a correlation between drug abuse and the breakdown of law and order in campuses. I commend the University Management for this bold step.
4. The cost for the drug test is N8, 400.00 in hospitals and N7, 000.00 at private medical laboratories. This is where I have a problem with the policy.
5. A student, who is battling with registration fees, feeding, books, handouts, transportation, accommodation and general upkeep, should not be shouldered with any additional burden of payment of drug tests. N8, 000.00 is a large amount of money for a typical undergraduate student.
6. I am appealing to the ATBU Management, on behalf of the ATBU Students, to kindly suspend the policy until the next academic session, to give the students sufficient time and adequate notice to prepare for the extra budget.
7. If the University, for any reason, cannot suspend the policy, I am appealing to you, as the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, to kindly foot the bill for all the students and refund those who have already paid for the tests. You need to make it free of charge for this academic session.
8. Your Excellency, you need to consider the fact that some of the students are from poor family backgrounds. On this note, I am appealing to you also, to subsidize the amount for the students at the next academic session. No student should be made to pay above N2, 000.00 per test.
9. The University should take every step to ensure that any candidate for admission who fails the drug tests should not be admitted into the University. And for those students who failed the tests, the University should rehabilitate them.
10. The University should recognize tests from public hospitals only. Results from private hospitals and private medical laboratories should no longer be recognized by the University.
11. On the final note, I am appealing to you, to use your exalted offices and resolve this issue in favour of the ATBU Students.
12. Please accept the assurances of my sincere goodwill, Your Excellency, Sir.
Galadi is a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gusau Branch (covering Zamfara State). He is the President of Bello Galadi Foundation.
He can be reached on:
Muhammadbel_law@yahoo.com and muhammadbellaw80@gmail.com and twitter handle:@bello_galadi1
