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Tag: Nasiru El-Rufa’i

Buhari has clear plans to end herders / farmers clashes – El-Rufa’i

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, says on Monday that the Federal Government has very clear plans to end herders/farmers clashes in the country.

The governor told newsmen after laying wreath to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Kaduna that the issue is being tackled head-on.

“We met with the Minister of Interior, there are very clear plans to curtail these issues, I don’t want to speak about security programmes on radio and television, but I want to assure everyone, the President and other security agencies are doing their best.’’

He noted that security is a continuous challenge in every society and the involvements of the military have helped to stabilize the country including parts of Kaduna state.

Read Also: FG urges restraint in media coverage of farmers/herders crisis in Benue

El-Rufa’i stressed that the recent donation of $1 billion from Excess Crude Account by state governors were for the purchase military equipment to support the armed forces in securing the country.

“The Nigerian armed forces have contributed significantly to the development of the country in maintaining unity and integration, and in protecting the lives of citizens and controlling security challenges.

“For this, all of us are grateful to them, they have made great sacrifices and at various forms of crisis, they have stepped in for the sovereignty of the country; we are eternally grateful to them,’’ the governor added.

NAN reports that apart from parade and laying of wreath to honour the falling heroes, El-Rufa’i also released white pigeons at the event.

NAN

January 15, 2018
PDP backs teachers’ strike in Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said it was in support of the current indefinite strike by public school teachers in Kaduna State.

The State Chairman of PDP, Mr Felix Hyat made the declaration in a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Abraham Catoh in Kaduna.

He faulted the state government on its threat to sack teachers that joined the strike, stressing that strike was “a legal means for all civil servants to seek redress on the injustice presently meted out on them.’’

According to the PDP chairman, the sack of the teachers was callous, insensitive and meant to increase the level of unemployment and poverty in the state.

“The incessant sack of civil servants in the state, if allowed to continue unabated, would definitely lead to high rate of crime, social vices and would dampen the morale of civil servants in the state,” Hyat added.

The PDP chairman also faulted the provision of N1 billion in the state 2018 budget to construct new legislative quarters after selling the ones on ground by the government.

“We condemned this act in its entirety, for it is another ploy to fleece the resources of the people of our state of their collective commonwealth.’’

Hyat also accused the state government of undertaking “fictitious projects and consultancy contracts’’ with no bearing or direct impact on the masses.

Read Also:2019: PDP begins search for presidential flag bearer

On security, the state PDP chairman said Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i has demonstrated “ineptitude and lack of capacity to curb the insecurity challenge bedevilling the state.’’

According to the chairman, the PDP would “reinstate all unjustly sacked civil servants’’ if elected in 2019.

He advised the electorate to use their permanent voter card to vote out the APC government in the state in 2019.

Reacting to the statement, the State APC Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Manasseh Istifanus said the party would not exchange words with the PDP.

He however said the sack of teachers and other civil servants was part of ongoing reforms in the civil service.

According to him, the state government would replace the over 21,000 teachers sacked with 25, 000 qualified ones that would add value to the education sector.

On the N1 billion budgeted for the building of legislative quarters by the government, Istifanus dismissed the claim as mere “concoction’’ by the PDP.

He stressed that the government had considered so many factors in arriving at the number of civil servants being disengaged, so as to rejuvenate and inject vibrancy in the state civil service.

NAN

January 10, 2018
Teachers’ strike will not stop education reform – Kaduna Govt.

Kaduna State Government on Tuesday said the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Union of Teachers ( NUT ) in the state would not stop its education reform.

In a statement issued in Kaduna by Samuel Aruwan, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai, the state government said it would not allow unqualified teachers in its schools.

He said the state government was determined to protect the future of the students as more than two million pupils were enrolled in public primary schools.

Aruwan commended teachers who reported to work in spite of efforts by the NUT to unlawfully prevent them from working.

He said the government had begun collation of reports from education administrators on teachers and reiterated that teachers who absented themselves from work would be sanctioned according to the law.

“Appropriate reminder of the potency of these rules (laws) has been issued in previous government statements.

“Across the state, the illegality of the NUT’s strike action is being compounded by physical attempts to frustrate those teachers who wish to work.

“No law permits any worker to tamper with another’s right to work. The attention of the security agencies has been drawn to this dangerous pattern of conduct,” Aruwan said.

Read also: Court stops El-Rufai from sacking Kaduna teachers

He said the state government had concluded marking of scripts of 43,000 applicants who applied for teaching positions, disclosing that 25,000 qualified teachers would be employed.

NAN

January 9, 2018
El-Rufai inaugurates poultry diseases diagnostic laboratory

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, on Wednesday in Kaduna, inaugurated a complex called ‘Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratory’ to serve the 19 Northern States.

The diagnostic centre, which is expected to reduce incidences of poultry related diseases, would do some poultry tests free for farmers.

The governor on the occasion, encouraged poultry farmers across the 19 Northern States to patronise the laboratory in order to control poultry diseases.

“This facility will enable poultry farmers to have a rapid response to any emergency poultry disease that might arise in the future.

“This is a commendable investment by Olams Company, that offers some laboratory tests to their customers free, as its corporate-social responsibility,’’ he said.

Read also: El-Rufai signs N216bn, 2018 budget into law

El Rufai expressed appreciation to the company for its investment in the state and commitment to providing job opportunities to the youth.

The General Manager of the centre, Rahul Khadurie, in his address said the gesture was part of the company’s support to the government to provide services for poultry farmers in the state.

“We have the best equipment to provide services, aside from microbiology, we have PCM, which is among very few in Nigeria and the biggest integrated farm in the country.

“The laboratory will have outreach free for all customers whether small or big,’’ he said.

The manager highlighted some of the free services the company offered to customers to include, post mortem examination, micro-bacterial analysis of feed.

Others are: minimum bactericidal test for antibiotics, hygiene audit for hatchery and poultry house among others.

NAN

December 13, 2017
El-Rufai warns IPMAN members against unruly behaviour

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State has urged members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ) in the state to end the bickering among them and live in peace.

The governor said in Kaduna when he received newly elected officials of the association who paid him a courtesy visit that the government would not condone any breach of the peace.

According to him, it is mandatory for members of the association to be given the opportunity to elect their leaders, saying those not satisfied with the election should seek redress in court.

“Those who are not satisfied with the election should to go to court instead of causing chaos in the state,’’ the governor said.

El-Rufai stressed that peace was vital for the progress of the association and assured of the government support to the new leadership.

Earlier, the new state IPMAN Chairman, Alhaji Bala Usman acknowledged that the association was unable to hold election for a long time due to internal crisis.

He however said with the elections held on Oct. 21, the association was now poised to contribute more meaningfully to the state economy.

Usman expressed gratitude to the governor for ensuring that the election was peaceful, and pledged that the association would henceforth pay its annual ground rent to government without delay.

The chairman pleaded with the governor to intervene on their behalf, for the reopening of their secretariat sealed by the management of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, due to the prolonged crisis in the association.

Other officials elected include Alhaji Garba Jega as Vice Chairman and Mr Solomon Ehizogie as Secretary.

NAN

November 3, 2017
El-Rufai seeks more funding for NYSC

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday called for improved funding for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to make it function effectively.

El-Rufai made the call when the leadership of NYSC, led by its Director General, Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.

Kazaure is in Kaduna for a 3-day pre-orientation workshop for the 2017 batch ‘B’ corps members.

The governor said the scheme should be properly funded as it serves as avenue of exploring the country’s diversity and strengthening its unity.

“So, whatever the NYSC scheme needs to successfully take care of corps members, for them to go wherever they want to be in Nigeria, should be fully funded.’’

The governor however frowned at situations in which corps members refuse postings to places they had never been to in the country.

“From what I hear, many young people now don’t like going to states other than where they will be comfortable.

“They think places where they have never been to are hostile communities and they don’t want to go there.

“But I will like to use this medium to appeal to our young people to be adventurous.

“NYSC will make you go to places you have never been because that is how you will know more about Nigeria.’’

El-Rufa’i advised the NYSC management to do more in posting corps members to areas new to them.

“This is what I will like to see the NYSC do, instead of fixing postings; just allow the computer to post people based on where they have gone to school,’’ he said.

According to him, posting corps members to where they have never been to was the only way to bring young Nigerians together so they can understand the nation’s problems and challenges.

El-Rufa’i thanked the management of NYSC for choosing Kaduna as venue for the national workshop and expressed the hope that the forum would boost the economy of the state.

He added that the development was an indication that the security situation in the state had improved.

Earlier, Kazaure said the choice of Kaduna State, to host the event, was in appreciation of the support and hospitality the scheme enjoys from the government and its people.

The director general assured that the scheme, under his leadership, would continue to build on its solid foundation, as well as come up with initiatives that would promote national integration.

NAN

October 25, 2017
Shehu Idris college of health science and technology to award degree soon – Bello

Shehu Idris College of Health Science and Technology, Makarfi, will soon become a degree-awarding institution, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.

Alhaji Bello Sani-Gimi, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria.

According to him, the state government is collaborating with some Egyptian firms to upgrade facilities and standard of the college to a degree awarding institution.

He said the Egyptians had wanted to establish a university of technology but were asked by Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i to use facilities in the college for the project.

Bello Sani-Gimi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, said the firms had inspected facilities at the college and expressed satisfaction with what they saw.

“They are coming back so that we can sign a Memorandum of Understanding and continue from there; as I am talking to you they are not yet back, but we are still waiting for them.

“However, as member representing the area, I will bring the issue to the floor of the house, so that we can legislate on it and give the governor the legislative backing for him to go ahead with the upgrading of the school, so that even if those investors from Egypt fail to come back, he can search for others.

“Hopefully ‘Insha-Allah’, we will see to the actualisation of converting that college to a university,” Bello said.

The lawmaker urged his constituents to support the present administration to enable it effectively deliver the dividends of democracy.

NAN

October 24, 2017
Kaduna Assembly sets deadline for 2018 Budget defence

The Kaduna State House of Assembly on Tuesday set Nov. 14 deadline for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to defend their 2018 budget proposals.

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i had on Oct. 13, submitted a budget of N216.5 billion to the assembly for approval.

The budget provides N85.4 billion for recurrent expenditure and N131.1 billion for capital projects.

The assembly, at its sitting presided by the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Shagali, referred the bill to its Committee on Appropriation and Implementation, to work on the budget and report back on Nov. 14.

Earlier, members had spoken on the budget, with some describing the document as comprehensive.

Kasim Iliyasawa, member representing Zaria constituency said the huge provision for capital projects was unprecedented in the history of the state.

Isaac Zankhai, representing Kauru/Chawai constituency, noted that the government had been good in preparing budgets, but always failed in releasing funds to effectively finance the budget.

He urged the assembly to expedite action on the passage of the budget.

Nuhu Shadalafiya, the member representing Kagarko, said the assembly should encourage the government to boost internal revenue generation.

“We should encourage them when they come for budget defence to ensure that they put in the mechanisms to realize the money needed to finance the budget.

“It is not just putting the figure but working hard to actualize it; I know we can do it,” Shadalafiya said.

NAN

October 17, 2017
World Bank releases N30m to Kaduna schools

The World Bank has ordered the immediate release of N30 million to improve teaching and learning facilities at a UBE Primary School with 22, 2400 pupils in Rigasa, a suburb of Kaduna.

A representative of the bank, Dr Olatunde Adekola, said that the intervention was for immediate upgrade of facilities at the school.

He said the high number of pupils had increased pressure on both teaching and learning facilities in the school, which has 70 teachers.

Adekola had led a task team for midterm review of the N6 billion granted the state under the bank’s Global Partnership for Education ( GPE ).

The bank is spending N20 billion under GPE to support girl-child education in five states, of the Northwest, where all indexes on education appeared to be very low compared to other regions.

The target was to increase reading and writing skills for pupils in nursery and those in primary one to three, and strengthen community activism and local governance.

It also aimed at expanding access to education through community initiatives and to increase the number of qualified female teachers in areas with high gender disparities.

Other states benefiting from the partnership, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development ( USAID ) and UK Department for International Development (DFID), include Jigawa, Kano, Katsina and Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the project Coordinator for Kaduna State, Aburu Musa said over 3,400 primary schools have benefited from the programme.

According to him, a total of 8,050 primary school girls from poor homes had received N45, 000 scholarship grants to continue with their education, with 1, 170 female teachers also getting similar amount to further their studies.

Meanwhile, the state government said its school feeding program and the GPE scholarship had resulted to the soaring of school enrolment from 1.1 million to 2.1 million pupils in the state.

According to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai, current enrolment ratio stands at 51 boys and 49 girls in schools in the state.

The State Government had recently signed into law the Bill on School Based Management Committee, to allow community participation in the running of schools.

NAN

October 10, 2017
El-Rufa’i inaugurates N5bn animal feed company

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, has said that his administration would continue to create more job opportunities for the youth in the areas of agriculture and mining.

The governor made the pledge at the opening of a new animal feed mill, constructed by Sunseed Nigeria Ltd, in Zaria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it is the second animal feed mill unveiled in the state in last two weeks.

“The state is gearing toward diversification of its economy away from dependence on government by developing its natural endowment especially in agriculture and mining.

“While mining will take some time to begin to give us the results that we need, agriculture can bring immediate results and this is why our investment policy in Kaduna state is focused on agricultural industrialization.

“Kaduna state is Nigeria’s leading producer of maize, Soya beans and Ginger, and we are also second in the production of Sorghum, Millet, Tomatoes, White beans and Potatoes.

“Therefore every serious business in the world should be in Kaduna state,” he said.

The governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i also stressed that the target was to create jobs and take the youth off the street.

“As a government, the overriding economic imperative is to create jobs.

“89 per cent of the population of Kaduna state consists of young people below the age of 35, and if we do not find ways to create jobs for them we will have a major social problem.

“This is why this administration is committed to attracting investment into the state, so that we will have jobs for our young people.

“This plant and even the hospital are the contributions towards creating jobs in Kaduna state.

“Today we are commissioning a Five Billion Naira investment that will produce 100,000 tonnes of animal feeds yearly.”

The governor disclosed that the administration was working to enhance the capacity of farmers to produce rice and wheat, as well as a special beans consumed in India, which would be exported to that country.

He also said that the government was working with a group of investors to resuscitate the moribund Ikara Food Processing Company, adding: “we are working to privatise it fully to encourage investors and create more jobs.”

El-Rufa’i commended the animal feed company for constructing a 15-bed hospital for use by its host community as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Earlier, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris said the opening of the company would add value to Federal Government efforts at diversifying the nation’s economy, as it would provide needed jobs to a large number of people in the agric value chain.

The monarch called on government to reintroduce marketing boards which would purchase farm produce directly from farmers for export.

He appealed to all Nigerians to live in peace with one another irrespective of tribe, creed, social and political affiliation.

September 28, 2017