The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abdullahi Ganduje

  • All set for Ajimobi’s son’s wedding

    All set for Ajimobi’s son’s wedding

    If the hope is for the country to one day become a nation of tribes united by love and complementing one another, then the families of Kano and Oyo state governors are playing their part to make this dream a reality. Fatima, daughter of Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and Idris, the only son of Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, will be getting married soon.

    The two lovebirds from two ethnic divides only revealed their relationship to the public a few months ago. And since the revelation, they have been speeding at a thousand miles per hour on the road to matrimonial bliss.

    Their engagement ceremony in November was a grand affair witnessed by 11 governors. And just a few days ago, the Ajimobi clan was out in full force as they stormed Kano State Government House to perform the Lefe ceremony for the bride. They left no stone unturned in their bid to impress the bride and her family as they came fully loaded.

    The bride was a picture of bliss as she received 27 customised Louis Vuitton travel boxes from her imminent in-laws.

  • Osinbajo heads panel to end herdsmen killings

    Osinbajo heads panel to end herdsmen killings

    *NEC okays 1% monthly allocation for HIV/AIDS funding

    *FG to support states affected by lassa fever

     

    The National Economic Council (NEC) headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday constituted a 10-man working committee to address killings by herdsmen in the country.

    This was disclosed by Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting.

    He was with Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi.

    According to Ganduje, the committee which is headed by Osinbajo, comprises the governors of Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, Edo, Plateau, Oyo,and Ebonyi States as members.

    He said that the committee would collaborate with the Federal Government in addressing impunity regarding killings and violence.

    He also said that the committee will work to ensure that all the perpetrators of violence are brought to book.

    Umahi said that the Council approved the resolution of the 59th National Council on Health that at least between 0.5% to 1% of the monthly allocation to states be earmarked for financing the implementation of the HIV/AIDS sustainability roadmap.

    This, he said, followed a presentation the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole and Director General of NECA, Olusegun Oshinowo, which urged the Council to consider an update for increase in domestic funding of treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

    According to him, they sought council’s interest of public sector funding for HIV/AIDS services in Nigeria in order to achieve the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS by the year 2030.

    He said “The increase will reduce depend upon on donor funding for HIV/AIDS services and the attendant development implication.

    “They also called for HIV treatment that will lead to increased life expectancy in the country and the proportion increase in GDP.

    “They added that the need to invest in HIV/AIDS is imperative because donor funding is in the decline due to the global economic circumstances.

    “Reducing the gap between those who require HIV/AIDS care and treatment and those who actually are able to access it, is another reason to investment HIV/AIDS.

    “They ask council to approve the resolution of the 59th National Council on Health that at least between 0.5% to 1% of the monthly allocation to states be earmarked for financing the implementation of the HIV/AIDS sustainability roadmap.

    “Council was also asked to consider and approved universal free ante-natal services and abolition of user fees associated with prevention of mother to child transmission services.

    “Council was also asked to request that the state health insurance schemes include HIV/AIDS as an indicator for both testing and treatment particularly as it relates to community health insurance programmers.”

    Umahi also disclosed that the Minister of Health also presented an emergency situation on Lassa Fever especially in Ebonyi State where some health workers died from Lassa Fever last week.

    He said “So, the honourable minister briefed that it was agreed that the federal government was going to intervene very quickly in the cases of Ebonyi State and Ogun States where this epidemic has developed.”

    The Council was also given an update on Economic Recovery Growth Plan

    “The honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning informed the council that the federal government is addressing economic situation in Nigeria through the ERGP covering between 2017 and 2020. The key execution praxis of the plan are:

    “To stabilise the macro-economic environment; To achieve agriculture and food security; To ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; To improve transportation infrastructure and To drive industrialisation focusing on small and medium scale industries.

    “Government needs to back up efforts to deliver the ERGP targets within the three years left to achieve and focus within the six sectors to deliver quick and fast results on investments and job creations. The sectors are: agriculture and transport, manufacturing and food processing, power and gas. The investments are meant to achieve two principles:

    “Investment for critical projects; Resolution of complex inter-agency problems that impede private sector investment.

    “Council agreed that each state will have a contact point which means that we will have 36 states plus FCT that will now start the process to implement these programmes with the Honourable Minister for Budget and National Planning.”

    The minister told the council that the criterion for disbursement is tied to government fiscal sustainable plan which the NEC and state governors had already approved.

    Ganduje said Council was also given federation Account balances.

    According to him, Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, reported that the balance in Excess Crude Account as at 15th January, 2018 stood at $2,317 billion, Stabilisation account: N9,730 billion, Natural Resources Development Fund stood at N115,108 billion

    The council was told that so far Budget Support Loan Facility disbursed to 11 states of the federation that has met the requirements stood at N700 million and the states that are having outstanding payments are required to meet and complete the necessary obligations before the disbursement is effected.

  • Kano destroys illicit drugs worth N4.1bn

    Kano destroys illicit drugs worth N4.1bn

    The Kano State Government said on Monday that it had destroyed illicit drugs worth N4.1 billion confiscated in the state this year.

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje who revealed this at the Senate Roundtable on Drug Abuse Epidemic held in Kano, said this was part of the renewed fight against drug abuse in the state.

    The event was organised by the Senate as a way of finding lasting solution to the hard drug crisis in the country.

    Ganduje, who was represented by his deputy, Prof Hafiz Abubakar, said the drugs were confiscated in different parts of the state after being imported by unpatriotic medicine dealers.

    He disclosed that the state government had also confiscated another consignment of illicit drugs worth N1 billion which would soon be destroyed.

    Read also: Kano spends N81.2m on maternal health

    The governor said the menace of hard drugs in the state was beyond the capacity of the state government to contain.

    “The fight against drug abuse is an issue that requires active Federal Government’s intervention as it is beyond the capacity of the state government,” he said.

    He said as part of its efforts to tackle the problem, the state government had set up a task force to deal with it, pointing out that the committee was doing its best.

    “Even in 2012 during the administration of former Governor, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, a task force was set up for it and was given all the necessary support to work.

    “But as I said, the fight is far beyond the capacity of the state government. There is need for all stakeholders to join hands together to fight the menace,” he said.

    According to him, the state government had recently expanded the rehabilitation center for the victims of drug abuse in the state.

    He commended the Senate for initiating the roundtable and expressed hope that it would go a long way in addressing the problem.

    He also lauded the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for choosing Kano as the venue for the event, in view of the relevance of the state to the issue at stake.

    Various stakeholders from across the country attended the roundtable.

    NAN

  • Kano empowers over 50,000 youths in two years

    Kano empowers over 50,000 youths in two years

    The Kano State Government says it has empowered no fewer than 50,000 youths with various skills through training programmes across the 44 local government areas of the state  since 2015.

    The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, Malam Adamu Unguwargini, disclosed this in an interview  on Friday.

    Unguwargini said that the empowerment programmes were under the government’s new Social Intervention Programme tagged: “Madogara Matasa’’.

    According to him, the programme which started at the onset of the Ganduje administration, is to expose youths to various skills such as carpentry, plumbing, panel beating, car repairs and vulcanising.

    The governor’s aide said that the State Government had also concluded arrangements to start a new skill acquisition programme that would empower various sets of 30,000 youths monthly across all the 44 local governments.

    “This measure will go a long way in complementing the efforts of the Federal Government toward addressing unemployment among youths in the country.

    “As you know, white collar jobs are limited, so we want to stimulate the entrepreneurship spirit in our youths in order to liberate them from poverty and enable them to be self-reliant.

    “This is the best way to go and believe me the measure will propel small and medium-scale endeavours that are a crucial component of Gov. Ganduje’s economic agenda.

    “The idea is to make youths gainfully employed, so that they do not become a nuisance to the society,’’ Unguwargini said.

    He further disclosed that in 2016, 72 youths were sponsored by the state government for training in various fields of automobile engineering at the Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Learning Centre in Kaduna.

    Read also: APC youths to enlighten Nigerians on Buhari’s achievements

    He said that the beneficiaries had since completed the training and were now training other youths in the state.

    The governor’s aide said that the government would soon commence training of females in automobile engineering.

    “Recently, under our empowerment programme, we spent N208 million to empower 5,200 tea vendors selected from 484 wards in the 44 local government areas of the state.

    “The Kano State Government gave each of the beneficiaries N40,000 worth of empowerment packages such as beverages, noodles, pasta, margarine, eggs and cooking oil to improve their business.

    “Our government attaches so much importance to empowerment of its residents because the beneficiaries will become self-reliant at the end, thereby boosting the economic status of the state,’’ Unguwargini said.

    These initiatives, he said, would not only take the youths off the street, it would also enhance security of lives and property in the state.

    NAN

  • Buhari lauds Ganduje on quality healthcare services

    Buhari lauds Ganduje on quality healthcare services

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, for providing quality health care services to the people in the state.

    The President made the commendation at the inauguration of a multi million naira Giginyu Hospital, named after Buhari.

    He said that Ganduje’s priority on health care was in accordance with the ruling party’s change agenda.

    Buhari said, “The change agenda is to reform Nigeria and Nigerians and to uplift the lives of Nigerians.”

    The president, who described the hospital as the best of its kind, urged the beneficiaries and workers to treat the facility with caution in order to maintain its standard.

    Read Also: Buhari commends Guards Brigade for professionalism

    Earlier, Ganduje said the contract for building of the hospital was awarded over 10 years ago by past administrations but that his administration felt obliged to complete it.

    He said, “The administration expended over N4.2 billion  for the completion and equipping of the hospital with ultra modern machines.”

    Such machines according to Ganduje include digital X-ray machines, 4D ultra sound machines, dialysis machines, CT scan machines and mammography MRI machines to mention but few.

    Ganduje further explained that the provision of the Hospital was reduce medical Tourism abroad and provide health care services to the door step of residents.

    The governor then named the hospital as Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital.

    He said the hospital was named after the president in view of the Federal Government’s priority on and improvement of the health sector.

    NAN reports that Buhari was in Kano for a two-day working visit to inaugurate some projects in many parts of the state

  • Buhari in Kano for two-day official visit

    Buhari in Kano for two-day official visit

    President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Kano on Wednesday for a two-day official visit to the state.

    Report said Buhari was received at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, members of the State Executive Council, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, traditional rulers as well as politicians, among others.

    A mammoth crowd was also at the airport and along the major streets in the metropolis, giving the president a rousing welcome.

    The President is expected to inaugurate a number of projects executed by the Ganduje administration during the visit.

    Read also: Buhari arrives Jordan to participate in counter-terrorism summit

    Among the projects are the ultra modern Specialist Hospital, Giginyu, named after the him and a Peadiatric Hospital located on Zoo Road, Kano,and the underpass bridge at Madobi/Panshekara Junction.

    On the second day, the President will inspect a rice mill, Fullmark Rice Mill Company at Kwanar Gunduwawa, and Gezawa Oil Mill, the largest oil mill in Africa at Tokarawa Industrial Estate both on Hadeja Road.

    Buhari is also expected to meet with Ulamas and hold an interactive session with community leaders and politicians before returning to Abuja.

    NAN

  • Ganduje seeks collaboration with private sector to strengthen economy

    Ganduje seeks collaboration with private sector to strengthen economy

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state has called on the private sector to collaborate with the state government for the development of Nigeria’s economy.

    Ganduje made the call in Kano on Saturday at the opening of the 38th Kano International Trade Fair.

    Th fair is organised by the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture ( KACCIMA ) as part of efforts to ensure economic growth and development in the country.

    He said the state government was committed to providing an environment conducive for private investors to engage in viable ventures in the various sectors of the economy.

    He said it was in line with the decision that the state government embarked on the transformation of State capital into a mega city.

    “The city is being transformed into a mega city by de-congesting it through the construction of flyovers and underpass.

    “The provision of flyovers and underpass will make human and vehicular movement in and around the city easy,” he said.

    He commended KACCIMA for organising the fair, which he said would go along way toward promoting socio-economic activities in the state.

    In his remarks, the President of KACCIMA, Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar, praised the Federal Government for its efforts at diversifying the nation’s economy to tackle the over-dependence on oil.

    “Micro, small and medium enterprises have proven to be the key drivers in boosting the economy of several countries.

    “There is the need for Nigeria to reinvigorate the sector in order to diversity and develop the nation’s economy.

    “The task of this nature requires committed synergy, motivated by patriotism, high level of sacrifice as well as total commitment to responsibilities,” he said.

    The theme of the fair is: “Reinvigoration of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Key for Effective Economic Development of Nigerian Economy.”

    NAN

  • Kano seeks support to revamp education sector

    Kano seeks support to revamp education sector

    The Kano State Government has solicited the support of Old Boys Associations of various secondary schools in the state in its efforts to revamp the education sector.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad, made the appeal when he received National Executive Council members of Government Arabic Senior Secondary School Gwale Old Boys Association.

    A statement by the ministry issued on Wednesday in Kano said the permanent secretary urged such associations to initiates projects and programmes that would add value to the quality of education imparted to students.

    According to the statement, Ahmad disclosed that the government has approved the release of N37.8 million for the completion of the school assembly hall initiated by the association.

    He said that work on the project would be executed through direct labour.

    The permanent secretary commended Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje for approving the release of the money and urged the association to support the administration move the state forward.

    Earlier, National Chairman of the association, Malam Nuhu Yahaya thanked the government for the gesture and pledged more support for the government.

    NAN

  • Kano spends N208m to empower 5,200 tea sellers

    Kano spends N208m to empower 5,200 tea sellers

    The Kano State Government said it has spent N208 million on the empowerment of 5,200 tea sellers in the state.

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje made the announcement on Saturday during an empowerment programme at the Government House, kano.

    Ganduje said that the beneficiaries were selected from 484 wards in the 44 local government areas of the state.

    He said that the gesture was to help in improving beneficiaries with means of livelihood and that of their defendants.

    “Our government attaches so much importance to empowerment programme because at the end, the beneficiaries will be self-reliant, thereby improving the economic capacity of the state,” he said.

    The governor gave each of the beneficiaries N40, 000 worth of empowerment packages to improve their business.

    The items include, Bournvita, milk, milo,noodles, margarine, pasta, tea bags,bread, eggs and cooking oil.

    Ganduje also urged the beneficiaries to always keep their business environment clean to ensure good hygiene.

    He then advised the tea sellers to shun illicit substances and other related crimes.

    The state’s Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sulengaro, said that the programme was designed to improve their living standards.

    He commended the governor for his foresight in empowering youths in the state.

    Ali Sani, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the governor for the gesture and promised to use the items judiciously.

    NAN

  • Ohaneze assures safety of Northerners in the East

    Ohaneze assures safety of Northerners in the East

    Chief John Nwodo, the President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo on Thursday assured northerners resident in the south-east of their safety. Nwodo gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano. He said that every Nigerians could live in any part of the country of his choice without discrimination or harassment.

    “Every Nigerian can live in any part of the country of his choice and no harm will ever come to a Northerner in the East. “When the temperature is high we tend to forget what bind us together and we forget the sweet past. “If there was any disturbance in Kano where we have 1.6 million Igbos, the entire Igboland  would have been in mourning by now,” he said.

    He commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Kano state government for promoting peace and brotherhood among the people. Nwodo said that the visit was to deliver the message of all Ndigbo and leaders in the zone. “Nigeria should not experience war the second time as it will not augur well for the country.

    “We must remain partners in progress of our country as we have seen how our own fathers lived to make it grow and develop,” he said. He said that the unity and peaceful co-existence must be the responsibility of all. The president then urged members of the group to remain law abiding, peaceful and respect the laws of Kano State in particular and the country in general.

    Earlier, the state Acting Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar told the delegation that the state would always be home for all Nigerians irrespective of their religious beliefs. He said that people of Kano State accepted the Igbos as their brothers and called on them to continue to live in peace with one another for the socio-economic development of the country.

    Abubakar then called on Nigerians to always find an amicable and civilised way of handling issues. “I am calling on Nigerians to always find an amicable and civilised way of settling disputes. “Our diversity is a blessing and we as a government we are in constant dialogue with critical stakeholders in the state to promote peace and harmony,” he said.

    The acting governor then thanked them for the visit and assured them of the administrations commitment to promote peaceful coexistence among different groups in the state.