Beneath the
humour of his occasional jokes, are loaded messages and lessons to be learnt.
He leaves you with an impression that you may enjoy the laughter, but get the
message from the jokes. Having worked as an engineer for about two decades
before becoming the governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso understands the
major developmental challenges in Kano, which he frontally confronts in his
second tenure. The hallmarks of his administration are developmental
initiatives in the provision of houses, scholarships, development of
entrepreneurship skills among the youths, massive road projects and improvement
of electricity supply for the benefit of the people.
Kwankwanso makes
sure that capital expenditure in Kano takes the largest chunk of the budget. In
2012 for instance, 63 percent of the state budget was dedicated to capital,
while only 37 percent was tied to recurrent. So far this year, 75 percent of
the budget has been devoted for capital and the remaining 25 percent allocated
to recurrent expenditure. His administration avoids frivolous expenditures by
ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
At the
inception of his administration, Kwankwaso eliminated the allocation of
security-vote to his office to block leakages. He also improved internally
generated revenue from a paltry N400 million to N1.8 billion monthly. In
addition to this, he reduced recurrent expenditures (from Government House,
Deputy Governor’s office and all other MDA’s), thus saving up to N500 million
monthly. To ensure transparency and accountability in governance, his
administration now publishes weekly resolutions of the State Executive Council
for wide dissemination to the populace.
As a
former legislator who was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of
Representatives, one may understand why Kwankwaso believes in the rule of law
and allows due process as the guiding principle of his administration. While
attempting to ban street begging and motorcycles as means of commercial
transportation in the state, the Governor followed all legal and due processes
and the state is now enjoying the dividends of the actions.
Not a
person to be fooled by political scheming, the leader of popular Kwankwasiya
political movement has a perfect understanding of Nigeria’s political dynamism
having been a delegate to the 1994 Constitutional Conference. His involvement
in the activities of progressive governors under the banner of PDP is seen by
his admirers as his quest to ensure equity and justice in the democratic
process.
The year 2012
was not only eventful but also fruitful in the governance of Kano State. The
seeds of empowerment that were sown for the development of the state seem to
have raised hope of yielding good fruits that stakeholders and friends of Kano
State could not hold back their delight in celebrating the laudable
administration of Governor Rab'iu Musa Kwankwaso even before the harvest
season. This culminated into series of awards on the Governor both within and
outside the country in recognition of his model of developmental governance,
charismatic leadership and re-engineered service delivery system.
Governor
Kwankwaso, has during the period under review, demonstrated sagacity for 21st
Century leadership content of modern governance towards efficient and effective
projects implementation and service delivery to enhance capacity building for
production and wealth creation as well as ameliorate the standard of living of
citizens resident in Kano. He also demonstrated deep aversion to corruption,
looting of public treasury and invented new culture of prudent public finance
management that degenerated into terminating the regime of foreign and domestic
debts inherited from the previous administration.
Kwankwaso is not
a junketing leader that seeks public notice for vain glory. His performance
speaks for him. His programmes are focused on sustainable development and
improving human capital. This giant stride has made him the most admired
governor with high measures of integrity.
It was in the
storm of demonstrating Kwankwaso's hallmark of governance that the former
Governor of Yobe State, Senator Abba Bukar, declared that he has stepped down
for Kwankwaso because he thought he was still in the lead as best
governor in the North because he provided many houses during his tenure in
Gombe State. Abba Bukar submitted that the mantle of leadership must go to Kano
State Governor, and instantly named him “Baba Housing”.
Mainwhile, the
building that will accommodate Kano State Geographical System (KANGIS) which
was started in February last year is being completed. He promised that the
System would be equipped with modern information technology facilities in order
to modernize land allocation system in the state.
In fact, the
governor is planning that the building
will have Data base department with satellites for better information on
everything about the use of land and its location so that houses or lands
acquired over 20 years can be issued with C of O within the shortest period. In
the same vein, surveying of lands that takes so many months can also be done in
days without much stress.Also, since the inception of the present
administration, the government has constructed many roads in the metropolis
which include Gwarzo, Hadejia, Zaria, Katsina, including Sheikh Jafar Road,
among others, and they are almost completed. These were said to be double
carriage roads that will take three vehicles at each side. He added that within
Kano City, government has awarded a contract for the dualisation of Airport
Road from Ashton near the roundabout through Pilgrims Camp.
Other roads that
have been awarded for construction were said to include Abdullahi Road, City
Center, Justice Dahiru Mustapha Road, Ribado Road and Isa Keita.”The ones we
inherited from the previous adminiatration which are under my jurisdiction and
were sustained include Independence Way to Dakata, and Dakata to Bela will soon
be awarded,” Yahaya disclosed.
“Another street
from Entsaki behind Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in also under
construction and nearly completed, Wase Road, Plaza along Kantin Kwari, Bank
Road and that of Sharada from Dan Agundi through General Sani Abacha Youth
Center were all started by our predecessor and left half way but some completed
and others under construction,” the Commissioner said.
Yahaya further
said that the new roads under construction include Sheikh Salga formally known
as Mai Aduwa Road in Dala Local Government Area and that a street from Kwanan
en Taya down to Dan Dishi, Dawanau to Jagere, will be awarded this year. The
intention of government is to provide accessible roads where motorists will
have free ride minimize road accidents and enhance business activities for
economic growth.
In Kano State,
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso surprised his people with a gift of N2.24billion road
project flag-off. This is one of the numerous infrastructural development
projects that his administration has embarked upon since he returned to the
state Government House a year ago. It was the dualisation of Kabuga-BUK new
site road, expected to cost N3.03 billion while the Sheikh Jaafar road is put
at N2.24 billion. Kwankwaso said his government intended to fast-track economic
development and modernisation of Kano city, which he claimed has continued to
attract unprecedented human and vehicular traffic due to its commercial
status., Some of his administration’s achievement included the entrepreneurship
scheme that has given means of livelihood to 44,000 women, healthcare scheme
tagged Lafiya Jari and other development initiatives in the state. Kwankwaso
was first sworn in as governor of Kano State on May 29, 1999. However, his
re-election bid was thwarted in 2003, when Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau of the
opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) defeated him at the polls
Committee on
Industrial Waste inaugurated
Moreover, Kano
State Government, recently, gave currency to the management of industrial waste
and ensuring clean environment when a 12-man committee headed by Mr. Hasan
Mahmud was inaugurated to advise on how to tackle the problem of industrial
waste and its attendant consequences.
The committee
will among other things, identify causes of industrial pollution in the state,
identify companies that have functional primary treatment plants and those that
do not have, recommend proper ways of industrial waste management and recommend
workable strategies on how tanneries and manufacturing industries will
discharge their Corporate Social Responsibility to the people living around
them.
Inaugurating the
committee at council chambers of the Government House, Kano, Governor Kwankwaso
said that it has became necessary to set up the committee because it is
concerned about the indiscriminate discharge of industrial effluent, especially
in Kano metropolis.
He lamented that
the waste, mostly coming from tanneries around Challawa, Panshekara, Bompai is
polluting water sources as well as the surrounding environment of the
companies, saying such action impacts negatively on the well being of the
citizenry.
Meanwhile,
Governor Kwankwaso reiterated his determination to raise the standard of
education and ensure the development of resourceful human capital in Kano
State. This, he intends to achieve through making Northwest University,
Kano, one of the reputable Nigerian academic institutions that meet
international standards in addition to his administration’s investment in
training Kano indigenes in foreign universities.
The Governor
revealed this when he received the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the university,
Profesor Datu Ahmad, is his office.
Governor
Kwankwaso disclosed that 1000 students have already been admitted into various
degree programmes, assuring that, the university will commence full academic
activities ending of this month or early February. He emphasized that all
necessary arrangements have been made for the smooth takeoff of the university,
acknowledging that what now remains is sorting out some grey areas with the
Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The governor
added that government is working hard at the permanent site of the university
and at the same time providing the needed facilities at the university’s
temporary site at Gidan Ado Bayero.
On the
institution’s Vice Chancellor, Governor Kwankwaso said that his appointment is
based on merit, considering the track record of the professor, whom he said has
worked in several universities in the world.
In another
development, Governor Kwankwaso disclosed that arrangement has commenced to
send the second batch of 502 students overseas for their postgraduate degrees.
He made the
disclosure when he received a delegation from Al-Fatah Istanbul University
Turkey, one of the foreign universities that offered admission to some of the
501 Kano State students sponsored by the government for masters’ degrees
recently.The realization by Governor Rabi’u
Musa Kwankwaso of the importance of developing the state’s education sector as
wells as his resolve to put education to an appreciable position, made it
possible for him to come up with number of programmes and physical project in
the sector. This, of course, has not come as a surprise because, from day one,
he made it categorical in his inaugural speech, shortly after he was sworn-in
as the governor of Kano state for the second time on the 29th may 2011, that
‘Education is one of the major priorities of this administration, as such, we
placed high premium on the revival and resuscitation of the education sector as
the most veritable tool for the social and economic development’.
To many, such assertion may not
sound anything better than a mere empty political statement, but, as a
responsible governor who believes in the principle of prudence and keeping to
his words, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has taken bold steps within his first
few months in office in addressing number of problems facing the state’s
educational sector.
As the key to societal progress and
foundation for any meaningful human development effort, education is certainly
at the forefront of Governor Kwankwaso administration’s priorities. The
administration’s policy thrust in the sector is provision of high quality and
functional education for lifelong learning and self reliance through partnering
with all stakeholders in ensuring effective coordination, efficient mobilization
and judicious utilization of resources. Guided by this mission and vision,
Governor Kwankwaso has been able to record modest achievements at all levels of
the sector while in office.
Primary Education: With the
inception of the Kwankwaso Administration in May 2011, primary education
received a boost with the provision of additional classrooms, procurement of
teaching and learning materials, training of teachers, renovation and
rehabilitation of infrastructure and improvement of teachers’ welfare. Below
are some of the major projects executed and programmes under taken by Governor
Kwankwaso:
•Construction of 768 classrooms
across the 44 LGAs in the state at the cost of N3, 085,810,172.16
•Provision of counterpart funding to
the tune of N2, 858,863,325 to receive UBE matching grants of N5,
717,726,650.74 as settlement for 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
•Provision of free lunch five times
a week and two sets of uniforms to primary school pupils.
•Provision of UBE matching grant and
other working materials for primary and junior secondary schools (N330,
171,387.36).
•Training of 8,482 primary school
teachers using the 2008 UBE matching grant (N249, 729,727.12).
•Procurement and distribution of
teaching and learning materials worth N249, 728,927.12 to public schools.
•Establishment of 4 new nomadic
schools in Kumbotso and Tsanyawa LGAs.
Secondary Education: The government
also undertook the following projects with a view to enhancing the quality of
education in government secondary schools:
•Rehabilitation and conversion of
RUWASA workshop and Ministry for Local Governments headquarters into Governor’s
College and provided with a befitting school bus (N363, 663,600.82).
•Construction of 100 No.
Kwankwasiyya Teachers’ Lodge in 38 rural local government areas (N339,
854,454).
•Upgrading of GSS, Bagwai to a
boarding school and renamed GSS Dan Hajja (N111, 200,984.54).
•Upgrading of GSS Tsanyawa to a
boarding school at Dangwani (N211, 530,529.92).
•Conversion of public building at
Yadakunya into GGSS, Janbaki (N228, 205,072.28).
•Prompt settlement of food bills to
contractors supplying food items to public schools.
•Provision of buses to transport
female secondary school students to and from their schools under the Girl-Child
Education Initiative.
•Establishment of 17 new junior
secondary schools and upgrading of 12 JSS to senior secondary schools.
•Rehabilitation of Government
Secondary Schools Gwarzo, Rano, Dala, Jogana, Dawakin Tofa and Dawakin Kudu at
the cost of over N2billion.
•Establishment of Craft School in
each of the 44 LGAs.
•Establishment of Schools of Islamic
Studies (SIS) in all the 44 LGAs.
•Establishment of a model boarding
secondary school in Niger Republic.
•Rehabilitation of most of public
schools through CRC (N440 million).
Science and Technical Education: In
its bid to promote science and technical education in the state, the
administration of Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso initiated and executed, among
others, the following projects and programmes:-
•Conversion of 3 vocational centres
to the status of technical colleges
•Repairs and renovation of science
and technical colleges in the state
•Establishment of 44 Technical
Schools and supply of instructional tools and equipment worth N200million
•Provision of 5nos 16-seater buses
to 5 newly established Technical and Science Colleges
•Provision of 4nos HILUX vans to
facilitate effective inspection of colleges and supervision of projects
•Recruitment of additional 342
teachers for the science and technical schools
•Training of 1, 500 youths on skills
acquisition to reduce social problems and promote self reliance
•Procurement and distribution of
working tools to participants of the youth skills acquisition programme
Higher Education: Under this sector,
the government executed the following projects and programmes:
•Construction of hostels at Kano
University of Science and Techonology, Wudil, (N83, 476,178.81).
•Completion of library complex at
KUST (N284,147,834.87)
•Completion of Student hostel at
KUST by Asal (N234,492,485.80)
•Construction of hostels at Usmanu
Danfodio University, Sokoto and School of Basic and Remedial Studies, Funtua
especially for Kano indigenes admitted there (N112,000,000).
•Infrastructural development at the
newly established North-west University, Kano (N2.453 billion).
•Construction of Senate Chambers at
the North – West University (N855,384,710.00)
•Supply and Instillation of ICT
components in the E-Library (N97,311,192.83)
•Supply and Instillation of Lap-Top
Computers and accessories for the Academic Staff (N66,843,447.30)
•Provision of furniture’s and
equipment for the Academic staff and Library (N98.086,040.00)
•Settlement of backlog of students’
scholarship grants for 2009 and 2010.
•Spent N346, 000,000 on students’
welfare.
•Sponsorship of 501 graduates with
first and upper second class degrees for post-graduate studies abroad (N1.5
billion).
•Accreditation programmes of some
higher institutions of learning in the state (N500, 000,000)
•The Kano State Polytechnic accessed
N299, 000,000 2010 and 2010 ETF intervention fund.
•Completion of Admin block at
Sa’adatu Rimi College of Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, SRCOE
(N234,492,485.80)
•Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education,
Kumbotso accessed N235, 000,000 ETF special interventions, N149, 000,000 normal
intervention and N150, 000,000 interventions for 2011.
•KUST, Wudil accessed N445, 000,000
and N250 million ETF fund.
•Audu Bako College of Agriculture,
Dambatta accessed N55 million, N55.5 million and N30 million ETF fund for 2008,
2009 and 2010 and N25 million as special interventions.
•Rehabilitation and upgrading of
facilities at KUST, Wudil (N695 million).
•Accreditation of courses at Kano
State Polytechnics (N82,087,763.2]
•Construction of 4No. blocks of 6
classrooms storey building at Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies,
AKCILS (N84,414,246.68)
•Construction of new 4No. blocks at
Aminu Kano College of Islamic and legal studies (N84,414,246.68)
•Obtained approval for the take off
of degree and N.C.E programme at AKCILS (N19,900,669.63)
•Construction New School of Remedial
Studies at Tudun Wada Local Government Area (N241,386,235.54)
Foreign Studies: Government has so
far expended the sum
of
N2.017 billion on various scholarship programmes e.g.
•Sponsored 501 young men and women
to undergo master’s and doctorate degrees in 11 countries; arrangements are
underway to sponsor a second set of 502 students.
•Sponsored 100 youth to train as
commercial pilots in Jordan.
•Sponsored 100 youth to read
medicine in various universities abroad.
•Sponsored 100 teachers to China for
language classes.
•Sponsored 100 youth to study
pharmacy in Nigerian universities.
•Sponsored 100 youth to study at
Crescent University, Abeokuta.
•Sponsored 100 youth to study at
Bells University of Technology, Otta, Ogun State.
•Paid scholarship allowances to the
tune of N590 million.
•Accorded special priority to
medical and law students to further boost the state manpower.
•Sponsored 25 students for marine
training to India and UK in partnership with NIMASA.
•Sponsored 917 trainees in various
specialized Nigerian institutions across the country.
New Institutes: In an effort to
provide the teeming youths and women in the state the opportunity to acquire
vocational training through skills acquisition, the Kwankwaso administration
has established 21 institutes including the second state-owned university,
christened North-west University, Kano. While some have taken up, either at
their temporary or permanent site, others are at various stages of completion.
The accomplishment of these modest
achievements by Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso since the inception of the
second tenure of his administration is indeed a clear proof of his commitment
and dedication to the development of all levels and sectors in Kano state as
the key to societal progress and foundation for any meaningful human development
efforts. With these structures on the ground and many more to come, Kano will
certainly be, in a very near future, a force to reckon with in educational
excellence and attainment in Nigeria and beyond.
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