From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
In a major intervention aimed at easing the educational burden on pupils and strengthening access to basic learning materials, the management of Pinnacle Hotel, through its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, has distributed 10,000 exercise books to selected primary and secondary schools in Sokoto State.
The intervention, implemented through the Pinnacle Humanitarian Care Initiative (PHCI), is targeted at supporting pupils and students whose families struggle to meet some of the basic costs associated with education.
Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of Pinnacle Hotel, Mr. Francis, Mrs. Amaka Adinnu Francis said the initiative was driven by the desire to build a society where people can access essential services and opportunities regardless of their social or economic circumstances.
“The aim of this initiative is to build a society where every individual, regardless of their social or economic circumstances, has access to essential healthcare, humanitarian assistance, dignity and opportunities to live a healthier and better life,” she said.
According to her, the PHCI was designed as a broad humanitarian intervention covering critical areas of community development, including healthcare, medical outreach, maternal health, emergency response, water and sanitation, community health, education, support for vulnerable populations, capacity building and evidence-generation initiatives.
She explained that the distribution of exercise books was part of the organisation’s commitment to contributing to educational development and supporting children from communities facing economic challenges.
The beneficiary schools include GDSS Gagi, GGDSS Mabera Mujaya’a, GGDSS Tudun Wada, Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki Secondary School, Dallatu Model Primary School, Ibrahim Gusau Nizzamiyya School, Tafida Aminu Model Primary School, Maigari Dingyadi Model Primary School and Mana Babba Model Primary School.
Speaking at the event, the member representing Sokoto South II Constituency, Hon. Almustapha Abdullahi Dutsinma, urged other corporate organisations and wealthy individuals to emulate the gesture by investing more in education and other critical sectors.
Dutsinma, who is also the Chairman, Sokoto State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts, described the intervention as a meaningful contribution to the educational development of the state.
He commended the management of Pinnacle Hotel for extending its Corporate Social Responsibility beyond commercial activities to direct support for communities and public institutions, adding that sustained collaboration between government, private organisations and individuals remains essential to addressing the needs of children and young people.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Muhammad Ladan Ala, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Aliyu Binji, said the Sokoto State Government has continued to commit substantial resources to the education sector.
He disclosed that the state government expended N3.5 billion in 2026 for the payment of registration and examination fees for students sitting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations, to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent students from participating in major public examinations.
The Commissioner further stated that Sokoto State recorded an 80 per cent pass rate in the examinations in 2026, describing it as an indication of the potential of the state’s education sector when adequate support is provided.
He called on corporate organisations, philanthropists and other well-meaning individuals to complement government efforts by investing in schools, learning materials, infrastructure and other areas capable of improving educational outcomes.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, represented by the Director, Mobilization, Hajiya Rabi Muhammad Gwadabawa, commended the initiative and its focus on providing direct assistance to schools.
Also speaking, the District Head of Gagi, Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, commended the gesture and underscored the crucial importance of education to the socio-economic development of any society.
Describing education as the panacea to all problems, Alhaji Jabbi urged other organisations to emulate the donor in order to complement government efforts in funding education at all levels.
According to him, the responsibility of funding education is a collective one, stressing that youths, as future leaders of Nigeria, must be bequeathed with quality education.
The programme highlighted the growing importance of public-private partnerships in addressing practical challenges confronting schools, particularly the provision of basic learning materials, as the cost of exercise books and other requirements often adds to the financial pressure of keeping children in school.
The event ended with a vote of thanks by the Secretary of Sokoto South Local Government, Comrade Kabiru Aliyu Minanata, who appreciated Pinnacle Hotel and other stakeholders for supporting the initiative.
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