Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has announced the retirement of 20 Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service.
The decision, according to the governor, follows the streamlining of ministries from 19 to 13; and also to cut cost in governance in the state.
This was also as the governor approved the appointments of more aides and chief executives of agencies in the state.
The governor said retiring the permanent secretaries were part of government’s efforts to free up resources to be used for the provision of qualitative schools, hospitals, roads and other public goods.
The government, he argued, had at inception declared its determination to cut costs, drive efficiency and improve service delivery.
According to him, to ensure that the number of permanent secretaries is properly aligned with the new structure, there will be only 13 permanent secretaries for the 13 ministries.
The ministries are, Justice, Agriculture and Forestry; Commerce, Industry and Tourism; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture,
Others are Environment and Natural Resources, Women Affairs and Social Development, Water Resources, Health and Human Services, Education, Science and Technology, Budget and Planning, Finance, Works, Housing and Transport.
He added that five departments which include; the Public Service Office; the Bureau of Establishments; Political and Economic Affairs; Cabinet and Security Services and General Services would be headed by permanent secretaries.
“This will bring the total number of permanent secretaries in the civil service to 18,” he added.
Meanwhile, the statement gave the names of the retired permanent secretaries to include: Isa Ismail Information (Zaria),Hassan Mohammed Deputy Governor’s Office (Birnin-Gwari), Ben Maitamaki Chieftaincy Affairs (Kajuru), Abubakar S. Abdullahi, Education (Chikun), Ja’afar Sa’idu-Works and Transport (Soba), Joshua Gambo Garba- State Pension Bureau (Lere), Marcus H. Baba-Teachers’ Service Board (Chikun), Dr. Madinatu Sheet, Science and Technology (Igabi).
Other retired permanent secretaries are Sani Aliyu Kudan- Office of the Head of Service (Kudan); Rev. Felix Musa Billy-Bureau of Religious Affairs (Christian Matters) Kaura, Mrs. Ladi E. Pati-Special Duties (Kachia); Dennis A. Wahal-Local Government Pension (Kauru); Ahmad Abdu Zaria-Environment and Natural Resources (Zaria); Adamu D. M. Kagarko-Water Resources (Kagarko); Lawal M. Usman-Protocol Dept (Kaduna North).
The statement also listed Ishaya Yem Parah-Rural & Community Development (Jaba), Adamu Atama-Public Service Reforms (Kagarko), Ya’u Garba Jumare -SUBEB (Sabon-Gari); Suleiman Samba -Lands and Surveys (Makarfi); AbdurRahman Mahmoud-Bureau of Religious Affairs (Islamic Matters) (Kaduna South) as among the retired permanent secretaries.
However, those appointed are: Thomas Gyang, who will serve as the Special Adviser on Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit to the governor and Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad-Aminu as the new chairman, Local Government Service Commission.
El-Rufai, also appointed Mr. Ezekiel Baba- Karik as Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency.
The appointment, according to a statement by e-Rufai’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, takes immediate effect.
Mr. Gyang, the Special Adviser on Budget was a 1978 graduate of Quantity Surveying from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He worked as a professional Quantity Surveyor for government, private organisations for 35 years.
He is member of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors.
Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and beggars in the state on Tuesday reached a truce on the recent ban on street begging and hawking.
Beggars who at the weekend took to the streets in protest of the ban and threatened to drag the government to court over the matter however agreed to sheath their sword and give up begging.
This development followed the governor’s visit to the Kano Road beggars’ colony and Kaduna State Rahabilitation Centre Tuesday.
According to the El-Rufai, the government has concluded arrangement to rehabilitate and train beggars on various skills.
El-Rufai maintained that, the interest of a group who think they have the right to beg for alms cannot override the security of over eight million people living in Kaduna State.
The governor who earlier visited the state own rehabilitation centre in Kakuri area of the state said, the centre which has the capacity to house and train 500 physically challenged will soon be rehabilitated and used for training of the beggars affected by the recent ban.
He however clarified that, no beggar will be repatriated on the ground that they are not indegenes of Kaduna State, adding that anyone resident in Kaduna will be given equal opportunity under his administration.
“There is no going back on the ban of street begging, but we are not going to repatriate anybody. The problem is here and we will solve it here,” he said.
El-Rufai also promised the beggars at the Kano Road Beggars Colony to acquire a land close to the colony to build a training centre for them
Meanwhile, Head of the beggars in the state, Abdullahi Samaila while responding to the governor commended him for visiting them and promised to cooperate with him.
He said, it was not that they derive pleasure in begging
Beggars in their hundreds on Saturday took to the streets in Kaduna , threatening to take legal action against the State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai over ban of street begging and alleged defamation of their character as terrorists.
Governor el-Rufai as part of security measures had on last Tuesday after Zaria blast that killed scores, announced ban on street hawking and begging and arrest of anyone found on the streets.
The beggars who stormed the Kaduna State Council secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), said the governor’s ban is a way of calling them terrorists hence the need to take legal action against the Governor for defamation and to seek redress.
They dared the Governor saying they will remain on the streets until the government gets them gainful employment.
They insisted they have the constitutional right to stay wherever they wish to stay saying until their demands are met, the government should prepare for a battle.
The beggars expressed regret on why they voted Malam Nasir el-Rufai in the just concluded election and only for him to pay them back with the ban on beggars in the state.
They gave the government three days to rescind its decision.
The state government however said the decision was in the best interest of the state.
A statement by the media aide of the Governor, Samuel Aruwan said, “As painful as it could be or misrepresented, the decision was taken in the best interest of our citizens and government appreciates support from all sections of the state regarding the reality of our security situation”.
El-Rufai has also commenced the identification and staff auditing of civil servants, using latest technology to seek out ghost workers and their sponsors.
A group, Initiative for Entrepreneurship and Talent Advancement (IEATA) has described Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as a “consummate administrator whose words and actions in the last few weeks” have rekindled hope in the people.
In a statement, the group’s Vice President and Northern Coordinator, Aminu Garuba Mohammed, stated that the governor has raised the bar in public administration.
The statement reads: “Most of us in Kaduna State are aware of the divine connection to El-Rufai’s victory in the April 11 governorship election. We are indeed grateful to the Almighty for choosing the right leader for us at this critical moment in our nation’s history.
“Today, our people are beginning to re-invent themselves because of this change in leadership. This is in addition to the fact that conditions are also changing for the better. We are therefore proud of our governor because we are already seeing signs of a greater Kaduna State that will in a short time, take its rightful place.
‘Even at the risk of sounding repetitive, let me state again that we are happy with the governor’s renewed vigour and purpose in the business of governance. No leader, no matter how fair-minded, can provide purposeful leadership without adequate preparation and demonstrable experience.
“I therefore wish to use this medium to commend our amiable governor for his populist programmes and also for returning Kaduna on course. Today, he is offering free education, blocking leakages and seriously addressing the burdensome issue of the cost of governance. We are also happy that he is running his government with 13 commissioners as against 24 by the previous administration.
“El-Rufai has also commenced the identification and staff auditing of civil servants, using latest technology to seek out ghost workers and their sponsors. As a group, we are very pleased with his empowerment programmes which will go a long way in engaging youths and anybody willing to work.”
Mohammed urged the governor to continue to work in the overall interest of the people who came out en mass to support him on April 11.
The President of The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Dr. Solomon Ogba over the weekend urged home-based athletes to work very hard to make the lean team that will represent Nigeria at the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
Dr. Ogba said: “The Beijing World Championships will not be a jamboree, we are going with a very lean team. Any athlete who does not have a chance of making the finals will not be in our team. I am impressed with the performances of some of our athletes in the Anambra Golden League I hope they will up their game in Kaduna and run better’’.
Ogba also revealed that only coaches that are producing athletes will make the national team,
“In the past we took many coaches who were not producing athletes to games and championships, but the criteria for coaches’ selection has changed; only those producing athletes and whose athletes made the team will be considered for a place in the national team.’’
Meanwhile the AFN is working round the clock to ensure that the Kaduna Golden League is a huge success.
Olumide Bamiduro, the scribe of the federation, revealed that AFN parent body, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has granted the federation application for the use of Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, as venue of the meet which will hold Saturday, June 27, 2015.
Bamiduro revealed that most of the athletic clubs and many state athletic associations have signified their intention to participate in the Kaduna meet.
Two Boko Haram suspects escaped on Sunday in Kaduna after a gun battle which ensued between them and team of joint security operative which led to the death of one of the operatives.
An eye witness who is a neighbour to the residence of the Boko Haram suspects but pleaded anonymity said, the team of the security personnel raided the area at about 1am on Sunday when the area became saturated with gun shots that lasted for hours.
The incident occurred at a village known as Ungwan Keke-B in Chikun local government area of Kaduna.
According to the eye witness, although the two Boko Haram suspects whose names could not be ascertained escaped, their wives were arrested by the security operative after the gun battle that left their building shattered.
The Nation further gathered that, wives of the suspects were whisked away by the security operatives to an unknown destination.
Corroborating the eye witness information, the Dagaci (Village Head) of the area, Mallam Suleiman Mohammed also confirmed that they started hearing gun shots at about 1:00am on Sunday.
He also said, the team of security operatives which was made up of Soldiers and the State Security Service (SSS) later announced that the neighbours should all come out of their houses and ordered them to leave the area to avoid being a victim.
When our correspondent visited the area, the entire building where the Boko Haram suspects were residing were completely in shambles as blood stains of the dead security operative could be seen on the floor.
However, several efforts and calls made to the Deputy Director Army Public Relation of the 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna was unsuccessful, as his mobile phones could not be reached as at the time of filing the report.
Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, on Friday said he would forfeit 50 per cent of his salary pending when the financial situation of the state improves.
The governor stated this in his inaugural address, after he was sworn-in by the state Chief Judge, Justice Tanimu Zailani in Kaduna.
He said that the pay cut would also affect the Deputy Governor, Mr. Barnabas Bala.
El-Rufa’i also declared that the administration would “guarantee free and compulsory basic education for every child up to JS3, regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity.”
He said that in spite of the challenges facing the state, the administration would also “focus on jobs, security, education, and healthcare.”
“ The fact is that today Kaduna State cannot meet its obligations without handouts from the federal government.
“We cannot comfortably pay salaries of our teachers and nurses and civil servants.
“And after struggling to pay salaries, we can do little else.
“We cannot fix the schools, help our farmers, repair our roads, or treat the sick. We have arrived at a dead end. The patient is sick, and it needs radical therapy.”
El-Rufa’i said the situation demanded for “difficult decisions”, adding that political office holders must sacrifice the comfort of their offices for the greater good of all.
“In recognition of the difficult challenges we face, our deputy Governor and I have concluded that the sacrifices that change requires must begin with us.
“We have decided to take a pay cut and donate 50 percent of our salaries and allowances, until our fiscal situation improves.
“We understand that leadership by example is the most persuasive way to demand sacrifices from all of us as citizens.
“We pledge to avoid ostentation and foolish bigmanism, and to value transparency, modesty and accountability.
“We will obey the same rules that we demand of all of you; After all, the law is the difference between civilization and anarchy.
“We submit ourselves to the principle that all are equal before the Law.”
On security, the governor said he would work with law enforcement officials to drastically reduce violent crime in the state including “communal violence, cattle-rustling and armed robbery.”
“We will reform the administration of justice to ensure speedy conclusion of cases and send a clear message that there will be sanctions for unlawful conduct.”
He therefore solicited for maximum support from the people of the state to enable the administration deliver on its promises.
“Four years from now, by the grace of God and the active support of you all, we will all be able to say that the leaders in whose care you have placed your affairs today have given their all for the brighter future that we all seek.’
Barely 24 hours after Kaduna State Governor-elect, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai vowed to probe anyone culpable in the N2.7billion SURE-P funds diversion, the State APC Transition Committee has dragged the Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero led government before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The transition committee is asking the anti-graft agency to stop the Yero led outgoing government from what it described as last minute looting of public assets.
It accused the outgoing Kaduna State Government of taking elaborate steps to legitimise the misappropriation of N2.744 billion Local Government Sure-P funds,
According to a letter addressed to the EFCC Chairman by the transition committee and titled:The attempt to misappropriate SURE-P Funds in Kaduna State, “Yero has been putting the legislature under tremendous pressure to approve his utilisation of 50 per cent of the Sure-P funds for a road project, while the 23 local government councils would share the balance.”
The letter signed by the Chairman of the committee, Balarabe Abbas Lawal read that, “I write to bring to your attention the elaborate steps being taken by the outgoing Kaduna State Government to legitimise the misappropriation of N2.744 billion Local Government Sure-P funds, and to request that you exercise your responsibility of deterring crime by preventing this last-minute looting of public assets.
“The Kaduna State House of Assembly declined to appropriate the Sure-P funds in the 2015 budget, and promptly removed them from the budgets submitted by the 23 local government councils. The state legislators further resolved that the fate of the funds be left to the incoming administration.
“The outgoing governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, however has been putting the legislature under tremendous pressure to approve his utilisation of 50 percent of the Sure-P funds for a road project, while the 23 local government councils would share the balance. Coming from a government whose tenure expires in less than two weeks, the intensity of the lobby for the money indicates a certain desperation that is clearly not in the public interest.
“I wish to therefore request that you urgently investigate whether the Sure-P funds are still intact, or if they have been spent without appropriation thus necessitating a belated approval from the House of Assembly to provide a ‘legal’ means of retiring the funds. If, as it is widely believed in the state, the monies have already been spent, it is crucial to determine the projects, the contractors and the procurement processes that facilitated such a deliberate hemorrhaging of public funds,” it reads.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai was quoted in statement as saying, “I have been informed of desperate attempts to secure approval to spend N2.744 billion Sure-P funds. Less than two weeks to its exit, the outgoing government of Kaduna State is seeking to pressure the outgoing House of Assembly to permit it to spend 50 percent of the money on the Kawo road project, while the 23 local government councils will share the balance.
“As governor-elect, it is my duty to caution every official involved in these last-minute deals that the incoming government will ensure that there are consequences for illegal conduct, breach of trust and stealing of public assets. Our government will certainly insist on accountability, and no one should be in any doubt about our resolve, be it the instigators of any impropriety or those who facilitated and executed it,” El-Rufai said.
The Kaduna Trade Fair which started as a cherished meeting point for international exhibitors has faded into a local market patronised by even fewer and fewer home traders. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE tells why
The glory days seem over. Once, a resident held up an article to friends and announced with every sense of accomplishment that he bought it at the prestigious Kaduna International Trade Fair. In those days, top-of-the-line exhibitors from across the world converged on the city, displayed their articles and left with lots of cash in their pockets, leaving behind their equally satisfied hosts.
Not anymore. The fair has shrunk to an afterthought, patrons dwindling faster than watchers can keep track of. Even local exhibitors seem to have other things on their minds than the 35-year-old fair.
For several years, the fair was held at the Murtala Square in the heart of the city. In time the complex became smaller and smaller as more countries and firms participated. This created the need to move to another site.
The Nation gathered that the Kaduna International Trade Fair was solely financed at inception by a famous business tycoon, Alhaji Bawa Garba, popularly known as ABG. To make it a success, the tycoon reportedly invited over 95 German, British and American companies to participate.
Dr. Garba’s pioneering efforts and the fair’s huge success attracted more companies and state governments across the country annually.
To facilitate the hosting of the All African Trade Fair, the Federal Government invested over US $30m to build the permanent site for the fair.
So much has changed over time, and all for the wrong reasons. The state-of-the-art facilities at the fair site located along the Kaduna/Zaria expressway are now underutilised as many of the pavilions have become the habitat of reptiles. Even during the regular fair over the years, many of the pavilions are no longer put to use, leading to decay of many of them.
The handover of the complex to the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce was aimed at putting it to maximum use, but this has yet to be the case. Apart from regular political rallies and conferences which take place at the ultra-modern conference centre inside the trade fair ground, over 75 per cent of the pavilions are unused all year round.
•Fulani fresh milk sellers at the fair
The fair also has stopped attracting many foreign participants. Since the All African Trade fair, America and British companies have not participated in the fair while majority of those who now take part are drawn from the local markets within Kaduna and to some extent, Kano State.
A veteran journalist, Alhaji Tajudeen Tijjani Ajibade, who covered the Kaduna fair for several years for the Kaduna-based New Nigerian newspaper told The Nation that the fair at 36 has moved from being an international meeting point to a mere local market. He said, for a very long time, the fair had participants coming from not less than 23 foreign countries, including their embassies. This, he said, was the case until the late 1990s when Nigeria started experiencing economic challenges.
“Throughout that time,” he said, “foreign countries used to bring in equipment that could be used for industrialisation and development of Nigeria and African continent as a whole. For those seven days, the whole Kaduna would be shut down for the trade fair, but suddenly things started going down, due to economic problem that Nigeria was facing.”
The major turning point in fortunes of the fair began in 2000 with the sharia crisis which which occurred barely a few weeks to the commencement of the fair that year. The crisis reduced the number of participants at the fair drastically and the number kept decreasing over the years. However, The Nation observed that, despite the reduction in the number of foreign participants, the fair was not doing badly until the current security challenges occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgents began.
When The Nation visited the Trade Fair ground along Kaduna-Zaria Express Way, during the just concluded 36th edition of the fair, it was observed that apart from the absence of foreign exhibitors, some prominent local companies were equally absent. This was why some keen observers described the 36th fair as a mere Kaduna Central Market relocated to Rigachikun.
•An exhibition stand at the fair
A regular visitor to the fair told The Nation that “The last time I came to Kaduna International Trade Fair was seven years ago and so I was completely unprepared for the transformation I am seen today, First there is hardly anything international about it now. Except if I am supposed to consider the shed I saw, that was owned by some tired looking foreigners who seemed to be wondering what on earth they were doing at such a sleepy fair as “international” participation.
“Secondly, this place is more than seventy percent empty especially when one compares it with the mammoth crowds we used to see in those pre-boko haram days. Thirdly, even state governments which have permanent stands at the fair ground don’t bother to show up anymore. There were several state government pavilions that seemed as though they hadn’t been opened in a year. I remember when people would travel all the way from Yola, Gusau, Maiduguri, just so they could shop at the fair. Now many people who live right next door to the Trade Fair complex won’t bother to walk in unless you are going to pay them. This decline in fortunes of Nigeria’s oldest and once biggest trade fair is the starkest depiction of the current state of the economy of Northern Nigeria. The sad thing is the security situation that may have caused this decline hasn’t changed much.”
Senator Walid Jibrin, one of the leaders of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce attributed the low turnout of participants at the 36th edition of the fair to political tension in the country, saying political gladiators as well as the electorate envisaged election crises which eventually turned out to be a victory for all as elections were believed to be generally peaceful.
However, in his goodwill message, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, said government through his ministry was putting in efforts, aimed at reforming the Nigerian investment climate and improving the country’s doing-business ranking, adding that the ministry has also embarked on a multi-focus trade strategy to tackle various challenges to domestic, regional and international trade in line with their peculiarities. He added that government has been in touch with the Kaduna Chamber’s programmes and other initiatives because of its embrace of the nation’s transformation agenda, promising that government would always prepared to welcome constructive proposals submitted by the chamber especially is such proposals were based on experience and expert knowledge of commercial and industrial practice.
President of the Chambers Dr. Abdul Alimi Bello told our correspondent that the fair would not have been held due to the tension before the general elections, but the chamber decided to hold it in April to send a signal to the international participants that all is well with Nigeria.
He said he was glad that elections which Nigerians and the world at large were apprehensive on has come and gone peacefully. He however called on incoming administration at all levels of governance, to invest heavily in macro-economy, quickly added that they should take as a priority how to make the business environment conducive. Alimi argued that, the turnout of the fair is a reflection of the nation’s economy, saying if the new government is able to get things right in terms of economy, it will affect every sector of the economy, including participation in the Kaduna International Trade Fair.
As the fair ended last Sunday, participants were hopeful that the General Muhammadu Buhari-led government would revive the comatose industries for a better fair next year.
Gunmen yesterday killed Mr. Markus Ishaya, a local coordinator of the campaign for Kaduna State Governor-elect Nasir El-Rufai.
A statement yesterday in Kaduna by El-Rufai’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, said the gunmen trailed Ishaya to his Atuku Ward in Atuku Kasa, Jema’a Local Government Area, and shot him.
The statement said Ishaya performed well in mobilising support for the governor-elect.
It added: “His family informed us that gunmen stormed his home and shot him several times.
“The two gunmen were well armed and did not pick anything from his home.
“The police have confirmed the incident; they have visited the scene of the crime and begun investigation.
“While we appreciate their prompt action, our expectation is that the security agencies will fully investigate this killing and prosecute the perpetrators.
“Security agencies must adequately protect all Nigerians, irrespective of their status and standing.”
El-Rufai prayed for the soul of the deceased.
He said: “Our empathy and prayers go to the family of Mr. Ishaya and the community over this callous murder and desecration of the human life.
“May Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and give his family and friends the fortitude to bear this painful loss.”
The killing of Ishaya brought to 10 the number of All Progressives Congress (APC) members that have been killed in the state during the campaign and its aftermath.
