Governor Dikko Radda has extended the offer of automatic employment to indigenes of the state who graduate with first-class degrees from higher institutions nationwide.

Mr Radda announced this on Sunday during the grand finale and award presentation of the maiden Katsina State Students’ Week held at Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

The governor said the initiative was designed to attract the brightest minds into the state civil service and strengthen its capacity for effective service delivery.

“When I assumed office, I introduced automatic employment for students who graduated with first-class degrees. We implemented this policy at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University and other institutions located in Katsina state.

“Today, I am pleased to expand the offer to all Katsina State students across the country who graduate with first-class degrees from this year onwards. This decision is deliberate.

“If we recruit a significant number of first-class graduates into the civil service, Katsina State will have one of the most efficient and productive civil services in the country within the next 10 to 15 years.

“You will have a civil service that can compete favourably with any state in the federation and even rival those at the federal level because we are bringing highly talented individuals into the service,” he said.

He also explained that his administration had prioritised settling outstanding scholarship obligations and increasing bursary allowances to encourage students to remain in school and pursue their academic aspirations.

According to him, the government has significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children in the state and prevented many from drifting into social vices.

The governor said education remained a top priority for his administration, which had consistently allocated a substantial share of the state budget to the sector.

He said that the government had recruited more than 10,000 teachers, constructed new schools and rehabilitated educational infrastructure across the state.

He urged students to continue striving for excellence and to contribute meaningfully to the development of Katsina State.

He added that the outstanding performance of Katsina students had made him proud to be both a son and governor of the state.

Also speaking, the vice-chancellor of BUK, Haruna Musa-Muhammad, described Mr Radda as a student-friendly governor.

Mr Musa-Muhammad commended the upward review of the state scholarship scheme and expressed the institution’s readiness to partner with the Katsina State government in advancing educational development.

Earlier, the convener of the event and special assistant to the governor on student matters, Muhammad Nagaske, said the Students’ Week was organised to foster collaboration, promote academic excellence, encourage cultural exchange and discover talents among students from various institutions.

The event brought together Katsina students from higher institutions in Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Borno and other states.

Participants who excelled in the week-long activities, including sports, academic competitions and cultural displays, received various prizes.

(NAN)