The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kano state

  • Fire service official seeks upgrade of National Fire Academy

    Fire service official seeks upgrade of National Fire Academy

    Mr Joseph Esinwoke, North-West Commanding Officer of the Federal Fire Service has called for the upgrade of facilities at the National Fire Academy, Sheda in Abuja, to meet manpower needs in fire-fighting.

    Esinwoke made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday.

    He said that the provision of necessary facilities at the academy would help protect national assets.

    The official said apart from the upgrade of the academy, government should also send its personnel from ministries, departments and agencies to the academy for training.

    Esinwoke noted that the country loses about 35 per cent of its annual budget to fire.

    “The nation losses about 35 per cent of its yearly budgetary allocation to fire.

    “Just to mention figures, the losses in the various fire incidents in Kano State alone in 2016 is estimated to be in the region of three trillion naira.

    “So, we are usually having a monumental loss through fire disasters each year due to lack of safety consciousness and precautionary actions,’’ he said.

    The commander stressed that “fire-fighting business is everybody’s business.

    “There is high need for every Nigerian to be safety conscious and know rudiments of fire-fighting as well as the need to install fire-fighting equipment in their homes, business places and even vehicles.”

    The commander expressed concern over low commitment to the provision of fire-fighting facilities in states across the country.

    According to him, only Kano and Anambra states have met the minimal standard expected in forestalling fire outbreaks by getting their fire fighting equipment ready.

    “I must commend Kano and Anambra State Governments that have shown commitment and purchased modern fighting equipment and trucks to respond to fire emergency, especially that of highly inflammable materials.

    “They have gone ahead to get their fire-fighting personnel to attend courses to upgrade their knowledge,’’ he said.

  • Aisha Buhari Foundation trains 1, 000 women in Kano

    Aisha Buhari Foundation trains 1, 000 women in Kano

    The Aisha Buhari Foundation, has offered skills training to 1, 000 women in Kano State, to earn decent living.

    The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that the beneficiaries were selected from the 44 Local Government Areas of the state and were trained in skills of their choice.

    The first batch of the trainees completed their one month programme on Friday and the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, was in Kano on Saturday for their graduation.

    The trainees specialised in fashion designing, interior decoration, spice and condiments, souvenir work, soap and shoe making as well as event management and decoration skills.

    Mrs Buhari arrived at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano at about 10:53 a.m., accompanied by wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo.

    Others on the entourage included the wife of Kogi Governor, Mrs Rashidat Bello, Senior Special Assistant to the wife of the President, Dr Hajo Sani, and Dr Mohammed Kamal.

    The delegation was was received at the airport by the wife of Kano State Governor, Dr Hafsat Ganduje.

    The graduation ceremony took place at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.

  • Aisha Buhari to present certificates to over one thousand women in Kano

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, will on Saturday present certificates to over 1,000 women graduates of her skill acquisition programme in Kano.

    The first batch of the women trainees, who rounded up their one month training on May 5, were specialised in fashion designer, interior decoration, spice and condiments, souvenir work, soap and shoe making as well as event management and decoration skills.

    The programme was organised by the “Aisha Buhari Foundation” a pet project of the wife of the President.

    The women were selected from 44 Local Government Areas of the State and trained based on their choice of vocation.

    The Director, Information to the wife of the President Suleiman Haruna, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the beneficiaries were also trained on how to produce cosmetics, household cleaning products and processing of household spices.

    “Because of their number, the women were divided into two groups at different centres: the women centre at Gyadi gyadi and Salfat women centre at Goron Dutse.

    Haruna said that the wife of the president embarked on a similar training programme with the aims of assisting and engaging less privileged families.

    He said that the move would also prevent them from engaging in anti-social vices as a result of unemployment.

    He explained that Mrs Buhari had performed similar empowerment programme in Lagos, Katsina as well as medical outreach programme in Enugu, Kogi, Benue, Ibadan, Nasarawa, Imo among others.

  • NYSC coordinator seeks permanent appointments for best performing corps members

    NYSC coordinator seeks permanent appointments for best performing corps members

    Alhaji Ladan Baba, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Coordinator in Kano, has appealed to Kano State Government to start offering permanent appointment for the best performing corps members in the state.

    The coordinator made the appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kano.

    According to him, if the state government starts offering permanent appointments to such corps members, it will encourage them to perform better toward the development of the state and the country.

    He said that the Federal Government was already offering such appointments to the overall best performing corps members in the country, including award of scholarships to further their education.

    Baba commended the state government for fulfilling its promise of paying N5, 000 to each corps member serving under the states and the local governments, while calling on private organisations to take a cue.

    The coordinator also said that five out of the 2,185 corps members who just passed out, received the 2016 Kano State Honours Awards.

    According to him, the awardees are recognised for their “wonderful’’ performance during their service years, especially toward the development of the state and the country in general.

    Baba said the awardees bagged such honour due to their patriotism, selflessness, dedication and commitment during their service year in Kano.

    “They have done so much during their stay at camp and also at their places of primary assignments for the development of the state and the country.

    “This is especially in the areas of education, health and agriculture. And other five corps members will also repeat their service year for various offences,” he said.

    “These corps members that will repeat their service year were found guilty of absconding for three or more consecutive months during their one year mandatory period.”

    According to him, most of them have absconded completely from their duties without taking permissions from the NYSC or their places of primary assignments.

    He said that in Batch 1, Stream 2, 12 of them were repeating their service presently while five in Stream 2 were serving the same punishment.

    NAN reports that out of Stream I and 2, 42 corps members had been given extension of their service by various months owing to undisclosed offences.

  • Ganduje replies critics, I am not sleeping but pretending‎

    Ganduje replies critics, I am not sleeping but pretending‎

    Kano State Governor says he is not bowing to blackmailers who said he was not working but sleeping.

    ‎Governor Abdullahi Ganduje stated this during an interactive session with labour unions as part of May Day celebration at the Government House, Kano.‎

    He said that his political opponents could not differentiate between sleeping and pretending.‎

    “My opponents always complain that I sleep at public functions but I want them to try and differentiate between the two.

    ‎”Political blackmail is not an issue to me because I am used to it and will continue to work for the good people of the state,” he said.‎

    The governor’s critics had been accusing him of sleeping in most public functions.

    ‎Ganduje said the ultra modern skill acquisition centre being constructed by his administration would provide employment opportunities to teeming youths of Kano.‎

    The governor said that the state government would continue the development of infrastructure across the state as part of effort to improve the welfare of the people.

     

  • May Day: Workers’ struggles and hope

    May Day: Workers’ struggles and hope

    The first of May, unlike any other day, is one set apart to celebrate the dedication and consistent spirit of workers around the globe; in this case Nigerian workers.  Out of respect for the day, governments around the world declare it a work-free day.

    Going back to historical antecedents, workers day was promulgated by the International Workers Congress in Paris to commemorate the struggle of all workers for better conditions. It was originally an eight hours work-free period, unlike the 24-hour ‘largesse’ we enjoy today.

    In Nigeria, May Day was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) of Kano State in 1980. It became a National holiday on the first of May, 1981 during Shagari’s administration.

    During the celebration, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governors, and other dignitaries in Nigeria address the Nigeria workers, especially with respect to some issues bordering on workers welfare, remuneration, nationhood, etc.

    Till this time, workers have continued to demand for their rights from the government and management of organizations alike; their rights to decent wages, opportunities for training and development, and a safe and congenial working environment – these remains in the front burner for labour and its representatives.

    Also issues such as retirement packages, access to fringe benefits such as medical care, housing, transportation, soft loans etc., and compensation plans in case of injuries and accidents on or during work is also a major concern for labour.

    Regardless of the sundry challenges bedeviling the emancipation and evolution of labour, it is important that labour unions sustain their efforts without colourations of partisanship and politics to see that the Nigerian worker is translated from the dark valleys and alleys of stagnation to the joyous daybreak of material and economic prosperity.

     

     

  • Industry operators to pay N100,000 fine for violating Sanitation laws

    The Kano State Tasks Force Committee on Environmental Sanitation says henceforth any operator of small scale industry that violates the state sanitation law would pay N100,000 fine.

    The State’s Commissioner of Environment. Alhaji Ali Makoda stated this in Kano while briefing newsmen shortly after the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday.

    The commissioner was represented by the Managing Director, Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB), Mr Muhammed Bichi.

    He said that the fine was aimed at showing the gravity of the offence and the importance of the law as well as to make industrialists committed to sanitation exercise in the state.

    Makoda noted that operators of a cold rooms where yourghut, ice blocks and sachet water are produced, who supposed to participate in the exercise to clean their environment, were the major culprits.

    “We caught some of them at KANZUZ small scale industry cluster located on Katsina Road, in Fagge Local Government going about their normal businesses during the exercise,” he said.

    The commissioner appealed to the general public to always abide by the sanitation laws in the state so as to ensure a clean environment.

    He said the state government had provided designated refuse collation centers across the state for dumping of the refuse.

    “Good health is sustained with a healthy environment, therefore, everyone must keep the environment clean so as to ensure good health of the Society,” he said.

    He commended the general public for participating in the exercise and called on them to always complement the government’s efforts in keeping the state clean.

    “We have gone round the six Metropolitan Local Governments out of the seven, where we noticed serious compliance by the people of those areas,” he said.

  • Kano zoological garden obtains new animal species

    The Kano State Zoological Garden, has added Zebra, Crocodile, Impala to its stock of animals at its zoo in Kano to attract more visitors, its Director, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, has said.

    The injection of the new species of the animals is part of efforts to modernize the zoo, Abdullahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Wednesday.

    He said that the animals were obtained from Bauchi and efforts would continue in raising the standard of the zoological garden to what obtain anywhere in the world.

    The director N1.4 million has been spent on drugs, guns and sanitization of the garden, while three pavilions with the capacity to contain 500 to 800 visitors, had been created.

    Abdullahi said that 85 rangers working at the facility had been promoted, to encourage them to be part of the modernisation process of the zoo.

  • Red Cross donates relief materials to 516 IDPs in Kano

    The Kano State Chapter of Red Cross Society on Sunday distributed relief materials worth millions of Naira to 516 Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) in the State.

    The Red Cross Chairperson in Kano, Dr. Urrata Balla, presented the materials to the IDPs at Hotoro in Tarauni and Gaida in Kumbotso Local Government Areas of the state.

    Balla said the gesture was necessary due to the condition IDPs found themselves.

    “Red Cross cannot compensate the IDPs over what they have lost but will continue to do everything humanly possible to assist them so as to make them feel and have sense of belonging.

    “I also want to call on philanthropists to assist in one way or the other so that everyone should live in a good condition”.

    Balla urged IDPs to always monitor the movement of their children when they return to their respective homes to prevent them from associating with bad people.

    She said the spread of insurgency that brought about the IDPs was as a result of negligence of some parents to monitor and watch over their children.

    Speaking on behalf of the IDPs in Hotoro, and Gaida, Malam Abubakar Mustapha and Malam Magaji Halliru respectively commended the Red Cross for the gesture.

    “Mustapha described the gesture as commendable, especially with the current economic challenges in the country.

    He called on wealthy individuals in the society, government and private organisations to continue to assist them with a view to alleviating their sufferings.

    Mustapha commended President Muhammad Buhari for his efforts towards restoring peace in their areas affected by the activities of insurgents.

    “We are also appealing to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency do everything possible to rebuild our houses for us to go back and continue with our normal life,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items distributed include clothes, shoes, blankets, bed sheets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, plastic buckets, soap and other other essential commodities.

  • Shekarau applauds Buhari’s anti graft war

    Shekarau applauds Buhari’s anti graft war

    Former Kano state Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau‎ has applauded the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti graft war, saying that “it is what most Nigerians have been yearning for.”

    According to him “Anyone who acquired wealth through illegal or fraudulent means should be investigated and brought to justice.”

    He noted that it takes a true and honest individual to right track a nation like Nigeria against corruption, pointing out that” we will join hands provided it is done with fairness.”

    Shekarau who spoke to reporters in Sokoto on Sunday on the sidelines at the 22nd Annual National Ummah Convention(NUC) held in Sokoto, declared open by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III said the anti graft war was a right step in the right direction.

    According to the former Presidential candidate in 2011 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP) and one time governor of the state described as the northern ‘commercial hub’‎ second to Lagos, “Nigeria and Nigerians need absolute system reformation where justice, fair hearing and strict adherence to the rule of law are premium.

    “Let me share with you that Kano state during my government was the first and only state to key in and evolve an anti corruption machinery when then President Obasanjo came up with EFCC‎”, he added.

    The one time Minister of Education and first to set a record of two terms of 4 years as governor in Kano state said the present APC led government under President Buhari should not jettison the baseline of due process and avoid selective justice in its anti corruption fight.

    “Our system needs to be sanitised for prosperity. But meting injustice to an unjust person amounts to no justice.”

    On the crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which he owes allegiance, the former governor said ‎it was a normal political hurdle that would come to pass, adding that “we are re-strategising and we will sail out of the perceived  woods.

    “We are only going through political reformation to come up with acceptable leadership with people oriented ‎agenda”, Shekarau explained.

    On the Sharia system entrenched ‎during his government, the former governor said “there is nothing wrong in being godly which entails the fear of your creator by been just, truthful, honest, sympathy, patience and morally up right. Both Islam and Christianity are adherents of these teachings and tenets.

    “They are not new and strict adherence would have shaped‎ our society as a nation. Only that some quarters have a different perception and misconception about what it entails.

    “It may interest you to know that the National and state bodies of c gave me a commendation letter ‎on Sharia”, he disclosed.

    On the convention, Shekarau noted that it was a good platform to objectively dissolve national problems‎ associated with the revival of agriculture not only in the north but Nigeria as a whole.

    According to him “we have to encourage responsive leadership and favourable policies that would transform the country’s agricultural sector to glory.”

    He said Nigeria’s greatest challenge ‎was the lack of coordination and absence of a genuine and responsive platform that would galvanise existing potentials and capacity to produce in large commercial quantity.

    “We have the land and human capital but without coordinating other components, we cannot make the desired impact”, he pointed out.

    He further attributed the country’s crash in agriculture to ‎the politics of state creation, adding that “the creation of additional states has further set us back.

    Before, states were doing well and a lot in agricultural activities because there was control chain in the system especially when northern marketing board was in operation which we need to reverse to augment strategic agricultural policy framework to be braced by a more holistic mechanism for the production, marketing and sales of grains between the farmer and final consumer destination”, he explained.