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Tag: Katsina

  • Masari sacks Education Commissioner

    Masari sacks Education Commissioner

    Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari has relieved the state Commissioner for Education, Professor Halimatu Sa’adiya Idris of her appointment with immediate effect.

    The governor said the sack of Prof. Idris is to pave the way for the appointment of active politicians to fasten the activity of governance in the state.

    Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi said in a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja that the sack of Prof. Idris was contained in a letter personally signed by the governor, thanking her for the services she rendered to the state as Commissioner of Education.

    Makumfashi said In the letter tittled “letter of appreciation and disengagement”, dated 21st December, 2017, Governor Masari said her “contributions for the development of the Education Sector in particularly and the Government in general can not be over emphasized”.

    The Governor said during her term as commissioner, “schools were rehablitated and upgraded, new ones were constructed, teachers were trained and the atmosphere made more conducive for learning and teaching”.

    Governor Masari said further that taking into account the fact that political activities leading to elections would commence early next year, “it has become necessary for the government to bring more active politicians on board so as to fasten activities of governance”.

  • Katsina to recruit 5,000 NCE holders

    Katsina to recruit 5,000 NCE holders

    The Katsina State Government is to recruit 5,000 holders of National Certificate of Education (NCE) under its programme tagged ‘S-Power’ to shore up its teaching staff in primary schools.

    Katsina Governor, Aminu Masari made the disclosure on Thursday in Rimi at a rally to receive some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who defected to All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Masari said the programme, which is similar to that of the Federal Government’s ‘N-Power programme’, was aimed at reducing unemployment especially among the teeming unemployed youths.

    He said the programme was part of the administration’s determination to fight unemployment and reduce poverty in the state.

    According to him, the NCE holders will be posted to teach in primary schools to improve the development of education in the state.

    On the rally, the governor said that he was highly impressed by the high turnout of the party supporters.

    Masari described the defectors as notable politicians and urged them to be loyal to the party’s leadership and principles.

    The state Chairman of APC, Alhaji Shitu S. Shitu said that Masari’s leadership style had attracted many people to the party.

    He said that the state government had executed projects in the 359 wards across the state.

    One of the defectors, Bilyaminu Rimi, assured that they would uphold the unity, progress and social interaction of the party.

    He promised to ensure that APC emerged victorious during the forthcoming general elections in 2019.

    NAN

  • Katsina to rehabilitate 34 dams

    Katsina to rehabilitate 34 dams

    The Katsina State Government is to rehabilitate and upgrade 34 earth dams in the 34 local government areas to provide water for dry  season farming.

    Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, the Managing Director of  Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority ( KATARDA ), said this on Thursday in Katsina.

    “The  rehabilitation of the dams is  part of  the constituency projects of the 34 members of Katsina State House of Assembly.

    “The earth dams will be upgraded so as to contain more water for  irrigation farming in the state.

    “Supply of enough water is the backbone of irrigation farming and the government is ready to assist its farmers to cultivate more cash crops and food crops, ” he said.

    Ibrahim also  said the state government had procured enough fertiliser for the 2018 dry season farming.

    Read also: Petrol sells at N220p/l in Katsina

    “The fertiliser will be distributed to the farmers through their  cooperative societies.

    “The state government has  also procured improved variety of seedlings and chemicals for spraying of farms.

    “We have procured improved varieties  of  seedlings for  beans, groundnut, maize and  Irish potatoes from Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University,  Zaria, ” he said.

    He called on farmers to prepare their farms  and start planting the seedlings  in time for  dry season farming.

    NAN

  • Katsina trains 479 women in skill acquisition in 5 years

    Katsina trains 479 women in skill acquisition in 5 years

    Katsina State Government says it has trained 479 women in skill acquisition and trades from 2011 to 2017 to enable them to be self-reliant.

    Dr Badiyya Hassan, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, spoke at the graduation for the participants on Tuesday in Katsina.

    Hassan said: “The state government trained the women in tailoring, shoe and bag-making, knitting, soap and pomade making and perfume production.

    “The state government will give equipment to 21 women that excelled during their training in different trades.

    “It will also give each of the 479 women N5, 000 to start business.

    “The women multi-purpose training centre in Katsina will also issue certificates to all the 479 women that participated in the training,” she said.

    Read also: Katsina Govt to immunise 2.5m expectant mothers, children

    Hassan said that the state government was committed to empowering women and ensures the realisation of stable families in the state.

    She said that the state government had commenced the renovation of three skill acquisition training centres in each of the three senatorial districts in the state.

    The commissioner urged women to form cooperative societies to enable them to benefit from the loan facility granted by the state government to fight poverty.

    Earlier, Hajiya Fatimah Mohammed, the Principal, Women Multipurpose Centre, urged the state government to provide more training equipment in the centre.

    “The women multipurpose needed more training equipment to train more women in skill acquisition.

    “Many women want to be trained in the area of handcrafts, but we lack the facilities to cover all of them,” the commissioner said.

    The acting Sole Administrator, Kaita Local Government Area, Hajiya Ummah Abdullahi, advised the beneficiaries to make proper use of the equipment given to them.

    NAN

  • Durbar fiesta at Kaduna centenary

    Durbar fiesta at Kaduna centenary

    One thousand decorated horses and a herd of adorned camels were part of the spectacle as Kaduna marked its 100th anniversary.

    It is a day of royalty, trumpets and decorated horses and camels. But the more Kaduna State residents witness the durbar the more they want to see it again. That was the case at the weekend when about 3,000 colourfully decorated horses and camels came out of the stables of 11 influential emirates in Northern Nigeria.

    It was a grand ‘Durbar’ in honour of Kaduna city and its people on the occasion of its centenary celebration. Royalty and culture were on display to the amusement and delight of dignitaries and thousands who converged on the popular Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna for the occasion.

    The durbar is a popular culture in Northern Nigeria dating back hundreds of years to the time when the Emirates (states) in the region used horses in warfare. It is a fiesta for special occasions in such Emirates as Katsina, Borno, Kano, Zazzau, Keffi, Bauchi and Bida, among others.

    The last time a grand durbar like the one display at the weekend was seen was 40 years ago during the Festival of Arts and Culture, popularly known as (FESTAC) 77. On that occasion, Emirates from across the North participated in the traditional horse event. Elderly people like the present Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris who participated in the 1977 FESTAC Durbar can tell the story better.

    Prior to the FESTAC 77, durbar was a display of war strength with each town, district, and the nobility contributing a regiment to the defense of the Emirate. Once or twice a year, the Emirate’s military chiefs invited the various regiments for a durbar (military parade) for the Emir and his chiefs. During the parade, regiments would showcase their horsemanship, their preparedness for war, and their loyalty to the Emirate.

    Today, Durbar has become a festival in honour of visiting heads of state and even event to commemorate the two great Muslim festivals, Eid-el Fitri at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and Eid-el Kabir.

    The centenary event saw traditional rulers of Borno, Kano, Zazzau, Katsina, Gombe, Bida, Zazzau, Bauchi, Hadejia, Misau and Keffi among others leading teams of horse riding warriors and displaying their different cultures.

    The traditional music played with drums and trumpets to accompany the durbar was rythymical, with gunshots in the air.

    The colourful centenary celebrations, according to Kaduna State government, was to showcase the rich history of the city, as the capital city of the Northern Nigeria, the rich cultural heritage of the North and to open up sources of revenue for all the state governments through promotion of tourism and boost the economy of the Northern states.

    Kaduna became the capital of the northern protectorate in 1914, when the colonial Governor General, Lord Fredrick Lugard relocated the capital from Zungeru, Niger State, to Kaduna.

    The city served as the capital of the northern region before the creation of states and has remained the political capital of the north even with the creation of states.

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai said, “Kaduna is a Borno city because the state’s first indigenous governor was Shettima Kashim Ibrahim who was also a title holder in Borno State.

    “And we chose the present Shehu of Borno to lead today’s durbar because coincidentally, his grandfather led the first durbar in 1956 while his father led the FESTAC durbar in 1977. Also, the incumbent Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, rode on the 1977 FESTAC durbar when he was much a younger Emir. This history was related to us by our royal Father, the Emir of Zazzau”, the Governor said.

    Aside the Emirs who led Durbar, other important personalities like the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Deputy Governors of Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau as well as Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and a host of others, captain of industries graced the occasion, while President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alh Muhammad Bello.

    The President said Kaduna is the melting point of Nigeria’s politics, saying it had played a significant role in the region as well as Nigeria, adding that, the city was destined to play significant role in the development of Northern region and Nigeria at large.

    Buhari stressed that, celebrating the 100 years of Kaduna’s existence as a political capital is by no means a child’s, thus his happiness that the celebration is happening under a progressive government .

    He said, “I have noted with admiration that the state has achieved alot under Governor Nasir Ahmed Elrufai who is a progressive governor as he has started implementing the vision he wants to see the state attain in the next 100 years”.

    The President reiterated the determination of his administration to solve the power problem bedevilling the nation, saying, once this is done, many industries in Kaduna that are in comatose will be back as well as other states in the country.

    El-rufai remarked that the state occupies an important position in Nigeria, saying, apart from being one of the oldest cities in the country it was the pioneer administrative headquarters in the Northern Nigeria.

    To this end, after 100 years of being a state  it has become imperative to celebrate the greatness it had attained with the view of laying a solid foundation for the future.

    According to the state governor, they have a duty to do so for posterity,pointing out, the centenary celebration will therefore showcase the rich history of Kaduna as well as showcase it’s rich cultural heritage of the region.

    He said the event will promote tourism, boost the economy of the Northern states and promote unity.

    “It is a great pleasure and honour to be hosting our guests to Kaduna’s Centenary Celebration. We know Kaduna can be better and we are determined to regain its glory,” he said.

    “We pay tribute to those who made this city, and we honour the resilience of its residents. We must make the next century one of peace, harmony and prosperity.”

    “Thus, we celebrate the first 100 years of Kaduna, not because they have been perfect. We celebrate, not because there have not been regrettable incidents in this city. We celebrate because the promise of Kaduna endures.

    “We celebrate because its residents are resilient. We celebrate because there is a future, a chance to reclaim the glory, break new ground and make Kaduna an example of diversity and integration, a dynamo of progress and a model of development.

    “We celebrate because the stains

    and losses of the past are not our destiny. We celebrate because we know that we can be better, and Kaduna is ready to be great again”, he said.

  • Primary education should be compulsory – Northern Senators

    Primary education should be compulsory – Northern Senators

    The Northern Senators Forum ( NSF ), has called for the amendment of the section four of the 1999 constitution to make primary school education compulsory in the country.

    This is contained in a communiqué signed by the Forum ‘s Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, and issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina at the end of their two-day retreat.

    The Forum also called for the establishment, equipping, and provision of adequate staffing of more learning centers as well as promotion of girl-child education in the region.

    They said that the region should strive to reduce the number of out-of-school children roaming the streets.

    “The alarming rate of out-of-school children and less number of learning institutions in the region explains why the North is both educationally and economically backward,’’ it said.

    The communiqué also called for the revival of agricultural sector, industrial as well as manufacturing sectors so that teeming unemployed youths in the region could be actively engaged and empowered to keep them away from crimes.

    It urged state governments in the region to start planning for post-oil era by improving their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and revive moribund industries to provide employment opportunities to their people.

    The communiqué assured that the National Assembly would continue to perform their oversight functions seriously to ensure meaningful implementation of all federal budget provisions as it affects the three zones in the region.

    It further stated that the North shall take a well articulated, firm and common position on the issue of restructuring.

    “Northern members of the National Assembly would be an integral part of achieving that common platform that should also include devolution of power to states and local governments,’’ it said.

    Read also: Restructuring: Northern Senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    The forum also called for the amendment of the constitution to accommodate the traditional institution by prescribing specific roles and responsibility for them as they are the custodians of peace in their domain.

    It also called for unity among people in the region irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious differences.

    The senators resolved to partner with their counterparts in the House of Representatives and Northern Governors Forum to design a plan for the Northern region development.

    NAN

  • Katsina Govt to immunise 2.5m expectant mothers, children

    Katsina Govt to immunise 2.5m expectant mothers, children

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State says 2.5 million expectant mothers and children would be immunised during the ongoing Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week.

    Masari made this known on Tuesday at the flag off of immunisation of expectant mothers, newborns and children at Kaita in Kaita Local Government Area.

    The governor said that all children under the age of five and expectant mothers would be immunised free of charge at various points in the state.

    Masari said that the State Primary Health Care Development Agency Law of 2007 would be amended for effective co-ordination and healthcare system.

    He said that plans were on for the establishment of a Drug Management Agency to ensure steady supply of quality drugs to improve healthcare delivery in the state.

    Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Mariayata Usman, said that the Health Week was set aside to improve on maternal and child health in the state.

    Read also: Aisha Buhari arrives Katsina to inaugurate maternity clinic

    “We have established 1,800 immunisation posts for registration of births, maternal and child immunisation.

    “We have also made special arrangement for the immunisation of expectant mothers and their registration during the one week exercise.

    “In each ward, there will be three posts manned by five health personnel for the conduct of the immunisation,’’ she said.

    The commissioner appealed to husbands to allow their wives to take their children to the immunisation posts.

    In his remarks, the District Head of Kaita, Alhaji Abdulkareem Kabir, urged men to allow their pregnant wives and children to go for the immunisation.

    NAN

  • Aisha Buhari arrives Katsina to inaugurate maternity clinic

    Aisha Buhari arrives Katsina to inaugurate maternity clinic

    The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Tuesday arrived Katsina State to inaugurate children and maternity clinic at the General Hospital, Daura.

    The children and maternity clinic was built and equipped by Buhari through her NGO, “Aisha Buhari Foundation’’, which also catered for the health needs of under-privileged families in the country.

    The aircraft conveying the wife of the president and her entourage landed at the Katsina International Airport at about 10 a.m.

    She was accompanied by the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki, Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehenire, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Administration), Dr Hajo Sani.

    Read also: Aisha Buhari provides free medical services for 3,000 patients in Zamfara

    Others are the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the former Deputy Governor of Plateau, Mrs Pauline Tallen, and wife of Benue Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, among others.

    The wife of the President was received at the airport by the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari and some members of the National Assembly led by Senate leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawal.

    During the visit, the wife of the President is expected to inaugurate and hand over the facility to the Katsina State Government as part of her contributions to the health and physical well being of women and children in the state.

    NAN

  • Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    The Northern Senators’ Forum and the 19 Northern governors would on Monday converge in Katsina for a three-day retreat to deliberate on the agitations for restructuring of the country.

    Chairman of the forum, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, said in Abuja that the retreat would also focus on how to improve the security situation in the country.

    Adamu said that the Forum had written letters of invitation to the 19 governors, leading traditional rulers, top politicians and ex-senators from the region to make presentations at the retreat.

    He said that the gathering would enable the senators, as the peoples’ representatives, to take a common position on restructuring.

    “Northern governors will be attending in solidarity and very eminent traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, will attend.

    Read also: Masari presents N211.4bn appropriation for Katsina

    “Essentially, we will be discussing the impact of budget in the north, the issue of restructuring which is now the main issue in politics.

    “The issue of restructuring that the Senate can develop a position on. It is part of preparing ourselves to face that challenge.

    “The issue of security will also be discussed,” Adamu said.

    He pointed out that as representatives of the people, it would be expected that with the retreat, they would be better educated, better placed to consider issues related to the subject-matter.

    “We will be better prepared to face the matter and legislate and make laws over them for the good governance of Nigeria.

    “We believe we are there to educate ourselves to be better informed, to exchange ideas on the subject matter, because we make laws, we don’t make laws out of ignorance.

    “We have to be better informed on anything we are talking about,” Adamu said.

    He explained that meeting in Katsina was not necessarily because of the economic impact it would have on the city and state or how it would energise Nigeria’s politics, “but for some sort of our presence will make’’.

    “There hasn’t been this retreat over time. We are trying to bring back the culture.

    “It makes us have touch with our bases; people who elected us and feel our pulse, we will relate with them in a better way,” he said.

    NAN

  • Polio: UNICEF immunizes 2m children in four states

    Polio: UNICEF immunizes 2m children in four states

    The Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in conjunction with UNICEF said it immunized more than two million children in rural communities of Jigawa, Niger, Taraba and Zamfara states in the past one year.
    Dr. Esther Obinya, a UNICEF health specialist and the National Coordinator of the Hard To Reach (HTR) project, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo on Saturday, that the initiative of reaching rural communities with vaccines was recording a lot of success.
    She disclosed that the HTR project was able to reach more than 900,000 pregnant women in the four states with ante-natal and post-natal services and commodities within the period.
    Obinya stated that the HTR, which is aimed at eradicating polio and strengthening health care in remote communities, is enjoying support from the federal, state and local governments in all the four high-risk states where the project is ongoing.
    She disclosed that more than 3,000 settlements had been visited at least three times since the project began in March 2016.
    She identified security breach occasioned by the frequent communal clashes, hazardous terrains, political interference and getting the right technical personnel, especially, Nurse-Midwives as the major challenges of the project.
    The Bill and Melinda-Gates foundation had carried out similar exercises in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi, Katsina, and Kano with very good results, she said.
    Obinya, who was in Taraba to supervise the Quarter 3, 2017 Review Meeting of GAC/HTR for Jigawa, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara states, also called on the benefiting states to work assiduously to sustain the project which would end in December 2018.
    Delegates from the four states had earlier undertaken field trips to some Hard to Reach communities in Ardo-Kola and Jalingo Local Government.
    NAN recalls that the World Health Assembly had in 2012 asked the World Health Organisation to formulate a programme that would eradicate polio worldwide when it was discovered that Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan had remained the three most endemic countries that were left with polio.