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Tag: Kano

  • Kano governor hailed for keeping promise in healthcare

    Kano governor hailed for keeping promise in healthcare

    Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, is being hailed for fulfilling his promises on the state’s healthcare system.

    State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended the governor in a chat with a media consulting firm, monitored by the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry.

    He said the governor has revamped the healthcare system of the state, which is one of his cardinal objectives.

    Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, upon coming on board, took drastic steps in correcting the abnormalities in the health sector of the state.

    The commissioner pointed out that “the governor has fulfilled some of his promises, while he is on the verge of fulfilling the rest.

    “His Excellency had pledged free maternity services to women of the state. This promise has been fulfilled.

    “Recently, I distributed drugs and other medical consumables worth N53 million to various health facilities for the benefit of pregnant women and those going to deliver through assisted delivery.

    “I am very much sure the governor will continue to give free health commodities throughout his tenure, as he promised,” Dr. Labaran said.

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    According to the Health Commissioner, Governor Yusuf had during his campaign, promised to bring back the Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital, which is the only paediatric hospital in the state with 86 beds, attending to at least 3,000 to 5,000 patients daily.

    “I am elated to inform you (Kano people) that that promise has been fulfilled. The facility has been retaken and put to use.

    “Dishearteningly, the hospital was sold by the previous administration to a crony at the worthless rate of N6 million, while its actual price is more than N6 billion.

    “The governor had, during his campaign, vowed to take the facility from whoever it was sold to and return it back to the people of the state.

    “Our Governor visited the hospital within 48hrs of his swearing-in and went round everywhere. He directed the Ministry of Health and its counterpart of Works to henceforth start work in the facility.

    “As I am talking to you, that hospital has been re-commissioned and put to use. If you go there, you will see that it has been totally renewed; all its aspects have been taken care of,” the commissioner explained.

    On medical outreach programme, Dr. Labaran stated that the governor has directed his ministry to go to the hard-to-reach areas where people are deprived of healthcare services, and treat people and give consultations on minor ailments, while giving referrals on bigger diseases that require strong medical attention.

    Dr. Labaran also disclosed that Governor Yusuf had promised to build one primary health centre in each political ward of the state; “now, we are assessing all health facilities of the state to see their immediate needs and present to the governor the areas where primary healthcare centres are earnestly needed.”

  • Kano okays N1.5b for fees, mass wedding

    Kano okays N1.5b for fees, mass wedding

    Kano State Executive Council has approved  N700  millon school fees for 7,000 indigenes studying at Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and N854 million for Auren Zaurawa Mass Wedding Initiative.

    Governor Abba Yusuf spoke yesterday via his verified X page, formerly Twitter.

    The governor said the N700 million for Kano students at BUK was approved during the  council meeting due to the country’s economic crisis.

    Read Also: Two dead, 37 rescued in Abuja building collapse

    “As part of efforts to cushion effects of our economic reality; Kano State Executive Council  approved release of N700 million to settle fees for 7000 students of Bayero University Kano (BUK),” the governor said.

    It released funds for the first phase of Auren Zaurawa Mass Wedding Initiative and the constitution of a special committee to settle pension arrears for retirees from Kano State Civil Service.

    The state also approved rehabilitation of pedestrian bridges at Bayero University Kano Old Campus, Aminu Kano College of Legal and Islamic Studies, and Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education.

  • Kano Governor wasn’t NNPP member at election, says APC

    Kano Governor wasn’t NNPP member at election, says APC

    •Tribunal reserves judgment

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Kano State Election Petitions Tribunal to declare that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf was not a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at the time the governorship election was held.

    The APC, through its legal counsel, Offiong Offiong, SAN, has petitioned that the name of Abba Kabir Yusuf, who was declared governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was not in the membership register of NNPP submitted to INEC at the time of the election.

    The petitioner is praying the tribunal to declare that the NNPP had no candidate in the governorship poll held on March 18, 2023.

    But Counsel to INEC, Emmanuel Osayomi, asked the court to dismiss the APC petition, arguing that the plaintiff could not prove their case.

    Counsel to the governor, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, has also filed an objection to the APC petition, asking the tribunal not to admit it.

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    The APC has closed its case with 32 witnesses before the tribunal, while INEC has closed their case without presenting any witness on July 20.

    Governor Yusuf closed his case on July 22, with the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi as a lone witness, while NNPP closed its case without calling any witness on July 24.

    The State Election Petitions Tribunal on Monday reserved judgement on the petition filed by APC challenging the legitimacy of the declaration of Yusuf as winner of the guber election in the state.

    Counsel to Yusuf, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, had filed his final written address on July 31 and on August 1.

    But the panel’s three judges, led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebayi, yesterday adjourned the sitting for judgement after counsels to both parties adopted their final written addresses.

    The judge said the registrar of the tribunal would communicate the date for the judgement to all parties when it is ready.

    “We will be fair, be assured that we will read what the law says and we will read it to the best of our knowledge” Justice Osadebayi said.

    The APC lawyer, Offiong Offiong, SAN, in adopting his final written addresses on July 31, August 6, 7, and August 8, responded on point of law for all the respondents.

    “We urge the court to adopt our written addresses as our argument. We urge the tribunal to uphold our petition and grant us relief. The second respondent brought two membership registers before and after the election. The membership number is inconsistent. It shows that the second respondent was not a member of NNPP before the election, he became a member after the election. All the ballot papers used in some local governments were not signed, stamped and dated”

    Counsel to INEC, Emmanuel Osayomi, filed a written address dated August 1, and August 2. We also filed our final written address dated August 14, written address on admissibility of documents on August 1 and on point of law on August 31,” Osayomi said.

    Counsel to the governor, Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, filed his final written address dated July 31 and filed on August 1.

    “We filed our written address on point of law dated August 11. We filed an objection to the petition and admissibility of witnesses. We also filed additional authorities on August 18. I pray My Lord will dismiss this petition. I urge My Lord to disregard the position of Pw31 statement of oath dated May 26, there is no evidence” Awomolo said.

    Counsel to NNPP, John Olusola-Baiyeshea SAN, adopted his final written address dated July 30 and filed July 31.

    He said: “Upon receiving the petition, we replied on the point of law dated August 12 and filed a list of two additional authorities dated August 17.

    He urged the tribunal to “dismiss the petition absolutely.”

    “This is the most unapproved petition,” an NNPP lawyer told the court.

  • ‘Kano needs N160b for free education’

    The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in Kano State has said the government would need over N160 billion to properly execute its free and compulsory education policy.

    Secretary of the PTA, Aminu Tafida, disclosed this during a radio programme ‘Duniyarmu a Yau’.

    Tafida said the amount, which is more than half of the state’s 2019 budget, would meet all the requirements of the policy for both primary and secondary schools.

    Last December, the Kano State House of Assembly passed the N219.97 billion budget presented by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

    Giving a breakdown of the funds needed, the PTA chair said primary schools need at least N85 billion to run effectively, while secondary schools require N75 billion.

    According to him, the association would not stop collecting its dues from the pupils, despite of an order from the state government stopping the collection of levies in schools.

    Tafida said parents would continue to pay N100 every term for primary school pupils and N200 for those in secondary schools as PTA dues.

    However, the Chairman of Kano State Secondary School Management Board, Alhaji Danlami Hayyo said the state would not relent in its quest to provide free education to its children in the state.

    He said the introduction of the free education policy would contribute immensely to the development of schools in Kano, adding that parents should assist the government to realise the goal.

  • Kano, society on family health spend N14.2 billion to procure 8.4million mosquito net

    The campaign manager for Society on Family Health, Mr John Ocholi, has disclosed in Kano, that over N14.2 billion has so far been spent on the procurement of 8.4m mosquito treated nets for distribution to the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State to curtail malaria Scourge in the state.

    Ocholi, and his team who were in the ancient of Kano on an advocacy campaign, to enlighten the Kano people on the advantage of using  mosquito treated nets, said the project was in conjunction with the Kano State government, as  over 33,000 adhoc staff, had been trained and engaged  to carry out an aggressive campaign to the grassroots in the state on the danger associated with malaria scourge.

    According to him : “We have designed a strategy by using technology, whereby citizens will collect cards, which would qualify them for free treated mosquito net  to avoid fake ones been paraded alongside the genuine ones in the markets.

    That is why we do not want the campaign for the elimination of malaria to die via the use of mosquito treated nets.’’Prior to using, the mosquito treated nets, the campaign manager of the project, said the launching will commence on 4th of October, and advised members of the public to ensure using the nets, so as to avoid mosquito bites, which often results to malaria.

    Read Also: World Malaria Day: KEDCO distributes 10, 000 mosquito nets in Kano

    Apart from that, members of the public must ensure to always sleep under treated  mosquito nets, adding that without such measures, they risk malaria, which often results to high rate of infant  mortality in the society.’’

    Mosquito treated nets must not be used, as wrappers or for decoration but only for the use of eliminate mosquitoes, which are the major sources of malaria, which poses serious danger to our infants.

    ’’Our advocacy campaign will be focused on rural dwellers, who are the major beneficiaries through enlightenment on the need to maintain high sense of hygiene and clean environment, in order to avoid stagnant pool of water around them.’’He charged the media to focus more attention on the reportage on the inherent dangers associated, with prevailing  malaria scourge, ravaging the society, which is put at 97 per cent.’

    ’We want every household  in the country to at least have one mosquito treated net, adding that they must allow air pass through the net before using them. Use mosquito treated nets, so as to reduce the burden of malaria, as the nets last for between three and four years.

    ’’When dirty, use mild soap to wash it but not medicated soap, so as to sustain its potency.’’ On a final note, he urged both the Print and Electronic media to provide adequate health publicity, so as to encourage the Private Sector to support the campaign, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

  • Keystone Bank realigns to energise growth, appoints new EDs

    The Board of Directors of Keystone Bank Limited has announced the appointment of three new Executive Directors.

    At its 49th, Annual General Meeting held in Lagos, the Board approved the appointments of Tijjani Aliyu, Olaniran Olayinka and Lawal J. Ahmed  as Executive Directors, subject to the approval of the Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN).

    A statement by the Divisional Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications of the bank, Mrs. Omobolanle Osotule, made available to journalists on Monday, said that the three new executive directors will join the executive management office to pursue and deliver on the bank’s strategic business objectives bringing to bear their in-depth wealth of banking experience garnered over the years across various sectors.

    Commenting on the development, the Chairman of Keystone Bank, Alhaji Umaru H. Modibbo, noted the promotion of the three former General Managers to Executive Directors is in line with the bank’s corporate governance and culture of maximising her human capital through consistent leadership development and training.

    ‘’Since we restructured, we have intentionally and proactively nurtured our talent in readiness for future leadership opportunities that will arise in the organisation.

    “It is therefore a major feat for us that we were able to appoint the three new Executive directors from our internally groomed executives’’ said Modibbo.

    Tijjani holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Bayero University, Kano and an MBA from the Bangor Business School, UK.

    His experience spans over two decades in both regulatory and top financial institutions in Nigeria.

    He is a member of various professional bodies and has attended various courses within and outside Nigeria including INSEAD Business School and the US Federal Reserve Bank in Washington.

    He is a consummate Risk professional and a member of Risk Managers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN), Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB, HCIB).

    His experience in the financial services sector covers operations, treasury, Banking Supervision, Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Risk Management.

    Until his elevation, he was the Chief Risk officer of Keystone Bank.

    Read Also: Keystone Bank MD quits

    Olaniran holds a First Class Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the prestigious University of Lagos.

    He has attended several executive courses and programs in Banking Operations, Credit, Risk Management, Business Process Re-engineering, Change Management amongst others.

    He had a four- year stint with PricewaterhouseCoopers and 25 years banking experience covering Operations, Human Resources Management, Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking, Retail Banking and Institutional Banking.

    Until his elevation, he was the Regional Head Corporate Bank and West, Keystone Bank Limited.

    On his part, Lawal, holds an LL.B Degree from the University of Jos, and an LL.M Degree from University of Dundee, United Kingdom.

    He has over 19 years post-call experience that cuts across Legal Practice, Banking Regulation, Process Improvement, Conflict Resolution, Project Management and Regulatory Compliance.

    He is a Fellow of the Compliance Institute of Nigeria (FCIN) and has attended top global educational and professional institutions including the London School of Economics (LSE), UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Management Delft, Netherlands, the Clingendael Institute for International Relations, Den Haag, Netherlands, US Federal Reserve,Washington DC, USA and Financial Stability Institute of the Bank for International Settlements. Until his elevation, he was the Chief Compliance Officer of Keystone Bank Limited.

    Keystone Bank is a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering convenient and reliable solutions to its customers.

  • Police kill alleged armed robber in Kano

    Operatives of Puff Adder have killed an alleged armed robber in Rano local government area of Kano State.

    A statement issued by Kano Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said a team of Operation Puff-Adder attached to Police Area Command Rano was on Friday afternoon alerted that a gang of four armed men attacked a residence in the town.

    It stated that the team immediately rushed to the scene where they engaged the armed robbers in a gun battle.

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    The statement said luck ran against the hoodlums when the Puff-Adder operatives with superior gunfire gunned down one of them, while the remaining three escaped into the nearby thick forest.

    “On hot chase, as they were retreating, they abandoned a locally made pistol with three rounds of live cartridges.” It said the gang has been terrorising Rano, Kibiya, Bunkure, Tudun Wada along Falgore Forest axis a while ago.

    The statement said the commissioner of police directed that the three remaining fleeing suspects be timely tracked, identified, arrested and any exhibit (s) or arms in their possession recovered.

    The command, therefore, calls on good citizens of the state to continue cooperating with the police for a timely and prompt rendition of information and intelligence on any form of crime and criminality across the state.

  • Kano gets committee on Almajiri education system

    ano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has constituted a Technical Committee that would reposition the Almajiri system of education with a view to get children off the streets and into schools.

    The committee is expected to design ways of integrating the Almajiri system into the mainstream curriculum-based education system that complies with international best practice as manifested in Muslim countries across the globe.

    Ganduje said at the inauguration:

    “With the recent pronouncement of free and compulsory primary and secondary schools education, this new development would, among other things, integrate Qur’anic schools with mainstream government-controlled schools where English, Mathematics, Hygiene education, among others would form part of the curriculum for the identified Almajiri schools,” he said.

    Part of the work of the committee is to have deeper discussions with Alarammomi (Qur’anic teachers who have pupils under their tutelage) and see how to come up with an acceptable way, as obtained in other Muslim nations on Qur’anic education.

    Ganduje said: “They will sit with such Alarammomi and see how we can introduce Western type of education into their curriculum in order to produce children with all types of education to prepare them for good living here on earth and hereafter. They too, need to go with modern time and get all the opportunities other children are getting.”

    He disclosed that, according to government statistics, many Alarammomi were not from Kano, but they bring along with them hundreds of children from other parts of the country.

    “We have statistics with us that many out of school children as given by different surveys, are not from Kano. They come from other states of the federation. Some are brought in from other neighbouring countries, like Niger Republic, Chad and some from Cameroon,” he said.

    Members of the Committee include some notable Qur’anic scholars like Gwani Yahuza Gwani Saleh Dan Zarga, the immediate past Executive Chairman of Kano State Qur’anic and Islamiyyah Schools Management Board among others.

    Chairman of the committee, Dr Muhammad Tahar Adam assured the Governor of their commitment to the mission, saying: “We will do our best to deliver in accordance with Islam – both in practice and application.”

  • Police arrest three kidnappers, rescue four-yr-old girl in Kano

    The Kano State Police Command on Saturday rescued a four-year-old girl who was abducted two weeks ago by three kidnappers from her parents’ residence at Naibawa quarters, in Kano.

    Khidijat Rilwanu was recovered in Kaduna from the residence of her abductors.

    Parading the suspects, Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu, said: “on 4th of July, 2019, a team of Puff Adder detectives arrested one Ibrahim Musa of Ungwar Rimi quarters in Kaduna. On interrogation, two female suspects of the same address were arrested and a victim, one Khadijat Riliwanu, four years old of Wailari Quarters, Kano was rescued at the residence of the female suspects, while investigation is in progress.”

    Iliyasu said 10 other suspected bandits were intercepted at Koki Quarters in a Toyota Hiace Bus, heading to Badawa Quarters.

    When the vehicle was searched, they were found to be in possession of 22 various dangerous weapons, including long knives, short knives, large quantity of hard drugs, and intoxicating/hallucinating substances, with new weapons of violence, known in local parlance, as ‘fate-fate tsitaka and barandami”

    Read Also: Lecturer kidnapped as Police, suspected kidnappers engaged in gun duel

    Iliyasu said  61 suspects were arrested at various criminal hideouts, while one Aminu, who graduated from Kano University of Science and Technology, currently undergoing a Masters Degree programme at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), was arrested , alongside his accomplice for stabbing a night guard at the university and was found to be in possession of 15 stolen laptops.

    He said six armed robbers and kidnap suspects were arrested, while Bashir Sani of Rimin Kebbe Quarters, Kano was apprehended in possession of a single barrel gun, loaded with 15 rounds of cartridges, adding that during investigation, another one locally-made gun, one chemical/pepper spray, one jack knife, one walkie-talkie, one handcuff and a police belt were recovered from him.

    Iliyasu said, over 122 suspects, who were arrested and paraded two weeks ago have been charged to various courts of law within the state for prosecution, adding that those, who have just been arrested would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

    Items recovered from the suspects, include 15 laptop computers; 26 parcels, as well as 250 wraps and other large quantities of Indian hemp; three stolen motor vehicles; 18 live ammunitions; 16 live cartridges; eight cut lasses; 32 clubs; 43 knives, 32 sachets of Diazapam tablets and 220 bottles of Suck-and-die.

  • Council seeks maximisation of ginger, moringa potential

    THE Raw Materials Research & Development Council (RMRDC) has advocated the full utilisation of locally produced ginger (oleoresin) used as a base product in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sector.

    At a workshop in Lagos on Thursday, with the topic: The utilisation of Locally Produced Ginger Oleoresin by Nigerian Industries, the RMRDC Director-General, Prof. Hussaini Dikko, unveiled a national strategy for Nigeria’s competitiveness in raw materials especially ginger.

    According to him, the country has the largest area in the world under ginger cultivation and ranks third in production after India and China. This, he said, underscores the need for a strategic plan by government to support producers of raw materials in terms of exploitation and development.

    He said: “Nigeria’s ginger is highly valued in the international market for its high oil and oleoresin content. Although ginger is mostly grown in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Oyo, Imo, Abia, and Lagos states, Southern Kaduna is the main producing area, with over 95 per cent of the country’s total production.

    “This position is supported by the Food & Agriculture Organisation Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) which stated that Nigeria produced 349,895 tons of ginger in 2017 with a world share of 11.5 per cent.”

    Represented by the Director, Technology Development Department, Dr. Abimbola Ogunwusi, he  said sadly, the bulk of ginger produced in the country is exported in slit-dried form. The importing countries further process it into industrial products mainly ginger powder, essential oils, oleoresin and re imported by manufacturers at higher cost.

    While underscoring the need for value addition to commodities within the country, he said statistics from Nigeria Customs Service Database in 2017 suggested that Nigeria spent over N182 million to import 524,991 kilogramme of ginger resinoids from January, 2016- February, 2017.

    He pledged the preparedness of the agency to promote, support and expedite industrial development and self-reliance through optimal utilisation of local raw materials as input to the nation’s industries especially ginger, who’s sector as a high employment opportunity.

    “RMRDC is seeking indigenous manufacturer’s buy-in as it promotes the utilisation of locally produced ginger oleoresin by user industries. Your buy-in will go a long way in developing the ginger value chain, reduce the importation of oleoresin into the country, save foreign exchange, and create job, wealth and diversify the economy,” Dikko said.