Despite of the huge debt burden he inherited from the immediate past administration of Rabiu Kwankwaso, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has sustained the Kwankwasiyya legacy initiated by his predecessor. The governor spoke with reporters in Kano, the state capital, about his achievements in the last one year. KOLADE ADEYEMI was there.
GOVERNOR Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State is believed to have performed well in the last one year, in spite of the numerous challenges facing the state. Though he is servicing the huge debts left by his predecessor, Ganduje has kept faith with the electorates, by continuing to provide them with needed democracy dividends. In his inaugural speech, he had pledged that his government will continue with the programmes and projects of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s administration, based on the Kwankwassiyya political philosophy. He added however that there is the need to fine-tune existing policies, to bring innovations that will transform Kano to a mega-city.
Since he took over the reins of power, Ganduje’s dream has been to make Kano metropolis a befitting home for indigenes and residents alike. Speaking on the administration in the last one year, the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said: “When he took office in May last year, there were a lot of expectations from the people; because of Governor Ganduje’s pedigree, the general feeling was that he is the right man for the job. Having served for two terms as Deputy Governor, it is only to be expected that he will be rich in experience, and this has given him the necessary leverage to provide result-oriented leadership to the people of Kano.
“The Ganduje administration inherited over 2000 on-going projects from the previous administration, and it is committed to the completion of these projects. So far, it had recorded modest achievements in this regard, despite the financial constraints weighing it down. Some of these projects that have been completed and commissioned include: Dorawa Road; Ahamadiyya Road; Lagos Street; Post Office Road in Nasarawa Local Government Area; Yan Taya Kofar Dawanau in Dala Local Government and Kwankwaso township roads. It also includes the Guringawa-Maidille Road.”
The administration has also continued with the construction of dual-carriage roads, with street lights and drainages, in many towns and villages in the 44 local government area. The idea is to open up the nooks and crannies of the state for development. The Commissioner added: “It is indeed marvelous that the Ganduje administration has started the construction project to open the nooks and crannies of the state for development. For instance, there are new or rehabilitation projects in the following locations: Sharada-Sabon Titi Under pass; Abdullahi Bayero Road; Sabon Gari; King’s Garden, Kwanar Tudun Wada Roads; Kantin Kwari market; Hotoro Arewa Road; and Dakata-Beli Road, Phase II (Kwanar Inusawa).”
In the area of housing, Garba said the people have felt the impact of governance because of the sheer number of houses springing up in new cities of Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo, where the government is also providing infrastructure, including access roads, drainages and streetlights. The Ganduje administration is also constructing flyovers across many roads within the metropolis, including the Murtala Muhammad Way.
In education, the commissioner said a lot has also been achieved in the sector since Ganduje assumed office. For instance, he said the sum of N14.4 billion has been earmarked for 104 on-going projects, while N3.6 billion has also been set aside for new projects, including the construction work at the permanent site of North West University and Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil.
The administration is also committed to sustaining scholarships award to indigenes to study in foreign and local institutions, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of large number of classrooms, with furnishings. According to Garba, Governor Ganduje is also passionate about the sponsorship of 75 indigenes for the registration of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Examination, as well as that five indigent nurses for the post basic psychiatric training at the Federal School of Psychiatry, Sokoto. “This is in addition to the procurement of 5000 computers for the establishment of more Joint Admisions And Matriculations Board (JAMB) computer-based test centres in the state,” he said, adding that the administration has also gone a step further by inaugurating the State and Local Government Education Promotion Committees in bid to develop and promote education in the state.
On health, the Commissioner said the health sector has been given adequate attention under the administration. He said: “It has so far completed the renovation and rehabilitation of various health institutions, including the General Hospitals in Wudil, Kura, Tudun Wada, as well as the one in Nuhu Bamali. Specialised medical equipment was also procured for the said hospitals.”
To ameliorate the living conditions of the people, Garba added that the administration has been offering free medical services to pregnant women and new-born babies from day one to five years old, as well as free accident and emergency services. Similarly, it has sustained the malaria control programme, in partnership with Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation and with the Dangote Foundation on routine immunisation.
To further buttress his point, he added that the Ganduje administration has also embarked on the completion of two abandoned hospitals at Giginyu and Zoo Road, both within the municipality, and has conducted the Free Eye Care Programme across the state, during which at least 44,000 persons benefited. During the special medical programme, he said 51,200 persons collected drugs, 10,000 received medicated glasses, 541 underwent Trachoma surgery, while 2,504 had Cataract surgery.
The immediate past President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the Ganduje administration is also tackling the problem of water supply. In this regard, he said water projects have been completed in various localities. These include the Tamburawa injection sub- station, to improve power supply to Tamburawa Treatment Plant. He added that the administration has undertaken the laying of water pipes and the repair of several damaged ones, to improve the flow of water to different parts of the state.
On agriculture, Garba noted that modest successes were recorded in an effort to boost agricultural production in the state. He said: “This include the procurement and distribution of 114,520 metric tons of fertilizer to 484 wards across the state at subsidized rate, the procurement, storage and maintenance of assorted grains as buffer reserves; agricultural Micro Credit Facilities for medium and small-scale agriculture businesses; training of 60 youths, including females, in Artificial Insemination in Turkey; established two Artificial Insemination Centres at Kadawa and Dambatta; and commissioning of Artificial Insemination Centre at Tukwui in Makoda Local Government Area.
“As the leading state in the production of wheat, the state government provided interest-free loans worth N100 million to wheat farmers for the purchase of improved seeds; employed 781 Agricultural Extension agents to assist farmers on mass production and each was given a motorcycles. The administration also subsidised the cost fertilizer for 2015 wet farming season to about N600 million and procured and distributed 5, 000 water-pump machines to farmers free of charge, as well as processed a N1 billion loan for farmers to boost rice production.”
The Ganduje administration is also believed to have invested so much on youth and women development. Garba said the Ganduje administration embarked on a series of empowerment programmes for youth in less than 100 days in office. These include the training of 250 youth on information technology (IT) and social media. He added: “At the end of the training, all the participants were presented with a laptop computer, certificates and internet browsing modem. The Ganduje administration also sponsored 70 youth on mechanical/engineering training at Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), sponsorship of 100 youth on power sector apprenticeship skills, sponsorship of 1000 traders for training in an informal sector.
“The state government has also developed a blueprint with a view to providing sustainability for women growth in the state, construction of ultra-modern Integrated Skills Acquisition Centre, along Zaria Road, at the cost of N392, 124, 684.54.”
On environment, Garba said: “the state administration is also tackling the issue of environmental cleanliness headlong, by acquiring and deploying various types of environmental sanitation equipment to all parts of the state.
On security, he said the Ganduje administration has continued to maintain a good working relationship with security agencies in the state towards ensuring peace and stability in the state. He added: “This synergy has ensured a lot of successes in the effort to maintain peace in the state. These include the recovery and returning of over 2000 cows from cattle rustlers to their respective owners in Sumaila and Doguwa local government areas, recovery of dangerous weapons and ammunition from cattle rustlers, construction of seven security dormitories for the 200 persons affected by bomb blast at Kano Central Mosque.
In his assessment of the Ganduje administration, the Chairman of the Kano State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ransom Bello, said: “We should not betray the fact that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje is managing Kano State under the heavy debt left behind by the immediate past administration. He is grappling with the challenges of managing and servicing the debts. He is also grappling with the challenges of completing a huge number of uncompleted and abandoned projects. You see, the easiest thing for any governor to do is to initiate a project, and the real task is to finish the projects. So, Governor Ganduje in his wisdom has decided to face the real task of finishing projects, as well as initiating new ones. In the space of one year, I do not think that he has performed badly.
“He has been able to manage peace in Kano. He has maintained impartiality among religious groups. He has been fair to the non-indigenous community of Sabon Gari, by bringing infrastructural development to the area. He has carried the Christians along fully and sincerely. He has been carrying along the non-indigenes in his government and this can be seen in the appointment of non-indigenes as Special Advisers. He operates an open-door policy. He has opened his doors for Kano stakeholders to contribute in the business of governance. Governor Ganduje is not shut out from the people. He relates to every class of people in the society, with a view to knowing their problems and finding solutions to them.
“Now, speaking as the leader of Christians in the state, I must say that I have seen wisdom in him; I have seen humility in him as Governor. Without fear of contradiction, I must say that Governor Ganduje is more open and better with Christians than any of his predecessors. He is also very interested in the welfare of non-indigenes. He is more concerned about peace and peaceful co-existence of different ethnic and religious groups in the state. He is more approachable, more tactical in his approaches and he loves to carry people along. He is a father for all.”
GOVERNOR Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State is believed to have performed well in the last one year, in spite of the numerous challenges facing the state. Though he is servicing the huge debts left by his predecessor, Ganduje has kept faith with the electorates, by continuing to provide them with needed democracy dividends. In his inaugural speech, he had pledged that his government will continue with the programmes and projects of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s administration, based on the Kwankwassiyya political philosophy. He added however that there is the need to fine-tune existing policies, to bring innovations that will transform Kano to a mega-city.
Since he took over the reins of power, Ganduje’s dream has been to make Kano metropolis a befitting home for indigenes and residents alike. Speaking on the administration in the last one year, the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said: “When he took office in May last year, there were a lot of expectations from the people; because of Governor Ganduje’s pedigree, the general feeling was that he is the right man for the job. Having served for two terms as Deputy Governor, it is only to be expected that he will be rich in experience, and this has given him the necessary leverage to provide result-oriented leadership to the people of Kano.
“The Ganduje administration inherited over 2000 on-going projects from the previous administration, and it is committed to the completion of these projects. So far, it had recorded modest achievements in this regard, despite the financial constraints weighing it down. Some of these projects that have been completed and commissioned include: Dorawa Road; Ahamadiyya Road; Lagos Street; Post Office Road in Nasarawa Local Government Area; Yan Taya Kofar Dawanau in Dala Local Government and Kwankwaso township roads. It also includes the Guringawa-Maidille Road.”
The administration has also continued with the construction of dual-carriage roads, with street lights and drainages, in many towns and villages in the 44 local government area. The idea is to open up the nooks and crannies of the state for development. The Commissioner added: “It is indeed marvelous that the Ganduje administration has started the construction project to open the nooks and crannies of the state for development. For instance, there are new or rehabilitation projects in the following locations: Sharada-Sabon Titi Under pass; Abdullahi Bayero Road; Sabon Gari; King’s Garden, Kwanar Tudun Wada Roads; Kantin Kwari market; Hotoro Arewa Road; and Dakata-Beli Road, Phase II (Kwanar Inusawa).”
In the area of housing, Garba said the people have felt the impact of governance because of the sheer number of houses springing up in new cities of Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo, where the government is also providing infrastructure, including access roads, drainages and streetlights. The Ganduje administration is also constructing flyovers across many roads within the metropolis, including the Murtala Muhammad Way.
In education, the commissioner said a lot has also been achieved in the sector since Ganduje assumed office. For instance, he said the sum of N14.4 billion has been earmarked for 104 on-going projects, while N3.6 billion has also been set aside for new projects, including the construction work at the permanent site of North West University and Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil.
The administration is also committed to sustaining scholarships award to indigenes to study in foreign and local institutions, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of large number of classrooms, with furnishings. According to Garba, Governor Ganduje is also passionate about the sponsorship of 75 indigenes for the registration of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria Examination, as well as that five indigent nurses for the post basic psychiatric training at the Federal School of Psychiatry, Sokoto. “This is in addition to the procurement of 5000 computers for the establishment of more Joint Admisions And Matriculations Board (JAMB) computer-based test centres in the state,” he said, adding that the administration has also gone a step further by inaugurating the State and Local Government Education Promotion Committees in bid to develop and promote education in the state.
On health, the Commissioner said the health sector has been given adequate attention under the administration. He said: “It has so far completed the renovation and rehabilitation of various health institutions, including the General Hospitals in Wudil, Kura, Tudun Wada, as well as the one in Nuhu Bamali. Specialised medical equipment was also procured for the said hospitals.”
To ameliorate the living conditions of the people, Garba added that the administration has been offering free medical services to pregnant women and new-born babies from day one to five years old, as well as free accident and emergency services. Similarly, it has sustained the malaria control programme, in partnership with Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation and with the Dangote Foundation on routine immunisation.
To further buttress his point, he added that the Ganduje administration has also embarked on the completion of two abandoned hospitals at Giginyu and Zoo Road, both within the municipality, and has conducted the Free Eye Care Programme across the state, during which at least 44,000 persons benefited. During the special medical programme, he said 51,200 persons collected drugs, 10,000 received medicated glasses, 541 underwent Trachoma surgery, while 2,504 had Cataract surgery.
The immediate past President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the Ganduje administration is also tackling the problem of water supply. In this regard, he said water projects have been completed in various localities. These include the Tamburawa injection sub- station, to improve power supply to Tamburawa Treatment Plant. He added that the administration has undertaken the laying of water pipes and the repair of several damaged ones, to improve the flow of water to different parts of the state.
On agriculture, Garba noted that modest successes were recorded in an effort to boost agricultural production in the state. He said: “This include the procurement and distribution of 114,520 metric tons of fertilizer to 484 wards across the state at subsidized rate, the procurement, storage and maintenance of assorted grains as buffer reserves; agricultural Micro Credit Facilities for medium and small-scale agriculture businesses; training of 60 youths, including females, in Artificial Insemination in Turkey; established two Artificial Insemination Centres at Kadawa and Dambatta; and commissioning of Artificial Insemination Centre at Tukwui in Makoda Local Government Area.
“As the leading state in the production of wheat, the state government provided interest-free loans worth N100 million to wheat farmers for the purchase of improved seeds; employed 781 Agricultural Extension agents to assist farmers on mass production and each was given a motorcycles. The administration also subsidised the cost fertilizer for 2015 wet farming season to about N600 million and procured and distributed 5, 000 water-pump machines to farmers free of charge, as well as processed a N1 billion loan for farmers to boost rice production.”
The Ganduje administration is also believed to have invested so much on youth and women development. Garba said the Ganduje administration embarked on a series of empowerment programmes for youth in less than 100 days in office. These include the training of 250 youth on information technology (IT) and social media. He added: “At the end of the training, all the participants were presented with a laptop computer, certificates and internet browsing modem. The Ganduje administration also sponsored 70 youth on mechanical/engineering training at Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), sponsorship of 100 youth on power sector apprenticeship skills, sponsorship of 1000 traders for training in an informal sector.
“The state government has also developed a blueprint with a view to providing sustainability for women growth in the state, construction of ultra-modern Integrated Skills Acquisition Centre, along Zaria Road, at the cost of N392, 124, 684.54.”
On environment, Garba said: “the state administration is also tackling the issue of environmental cleanliness headlong, by acquiring and deploying various types of environmental sanitation equipment to all parts of the state.
On security, he said the Ganduje administration has continued to maintain a good working relationship with security agencies in the state towards ensuring peace and stability in the state. He added: “This synergy has ensured a lot of successes in the effort to maintain peace in the state. These include the recovery and returning of over 2000 cows from cattle rustlers to their respective owners in Sumaila and Doguwa local government areas, recovery of dangerous weapons and ammunition from cattle rustlers, construction of seven security dormitories for the 200 persons affected by bomb blast at Kano Central Mosque.
In his assessment of the Ganduje administration, the Chairman of the Kano State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ransom Bello, said: “We should not betray the fact that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje is managing Kano State under the heavy debt left behind by the immediate past administration. He is grappling with the challenges of managing and servicing the debts. He is also grappling with the challenges of completing a huge number of uncompleted and abandoned projects. You see, the easiest thing for any governor to do is to initiate a project, and the real task is to finish the projects. So, Governor Ganduje in his wisdom has decided to face the real task of finishing projects, as well as initiating new ones. In the space of one year, I do not think that he has performed badly.
“He has been able to manage peace in Kano. He has maintained impartiality among religious groups. He has been fair to the non-indigenous community of Sabon Gari, by bringing infrastructural development to the area. He has carried the Christians along fully and sincerely. He has been carrying along the non-indigenes in his government and this can be seen in the appointment of non-indigenes as Special Advisers. He operates an open-door policy. He has opened his doors for Kano stakeholders to contribute in the business of governance. Governor Ganduje is not shut out from the people. He relates to every class of people in the society, with a view to knowing their problems and finding solutions to them.
“Now, speaking as the leader of Christians in the state, I must say that I have seen wisdom in him; I have seen humility in him as Governor. Without fear of contradiction, I must say that Governor Ganduje is more open and better with Christians than any of his predecessors. He is also very interested in the welfare of non-indigenes. He is more concerned about peace and peaceful co-existence of different ethnic and religious groups in the state. He is more approachable, more tactical in his approaches and he loves to carry people along. He is a father for all.”
