We are recording success in spite of dwindling economy — Ganduje

By SADIQ SHAMSU ABUBAKAR, Kano

KANO State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at a meeting with the leaders of the state Labour Congress, Trade Unions, National Union of Journalism and the Corresponding Chapel, dispelled the rumours that his administration has for the past five months recorded nothing. He said that inspite of the current national economic crisis the state has undoubtedly proceeded gallantly and has recorded success.
The Governor asserted that in his inaugural speech he laid emphases on insecurity which each and everyone was a witness to where at a point Kano State almost became a hidden place for the insurgence with his consistent effort and the pragmatic, the situation has improved and Kano is peaceful today.
He said though there is another form of insecurity that has to do with cattle rustlers which is having a diverse effect on cattle owners mostly in the villages. This issue has become a serious threat in Kano but with the magnificent approach of the state Police Command we have succeeded in arresting the rustlers and in a gun battle their leader a Senegalese was killed, while over one thousand cattle retrieved and a committee has being set up to return the cattle to their rightful owners with the state Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development as the Chairman.
The committee has members include members of the State Security service (SSS), Police officers, District Heads of the affected communities among others and warn them to discharge the duties assigned to the with extra carefulness and give to Ceaser what is due to him and stressed that he will not tolerate any form of collaboration in this aspect as the state is now leading in combating cattle rustling in the region where they mostly operate.
Another area I promised to consolidate on in my inaugural speech is the vast projects we inherited from the former administration. We have been able to complete nine rods within the metropolis including Sheikh Mahmoud road while work is in progress to on Sabon Gari/Fagge flyover and others. The two hydro electric power stations at Tiga and Challawa Dams are also underway to completion and very soon we shall give an uptake of N5Billion for the distributions of power from the two dams.
The prudent and articulated governor informed the gathering that his administration’s plan for the Agricultural sector is support farmers so that the state becomes the highest wheat production in the coming season. As such he had several meetings with the stakeholders and had already provided N100Million intervention fund for wheat farmers and N18Million for wheat processing while he approved the sum of N1Billion for rice farmers, Dr Ganduje said the fund is his administration’s support that paid back after the season and that no amount is free.
He further noted that, the intervention funds is a grant that will be paid back and assured that any amount taken from the state treasury is a loan that should be paid back and that his government room for free amount. That is not withstanding, special attention is also given to animal husbandry and in this respect the government is seeking for visas for some young Fulani men to Turkey to state modern animal productions.
On education, Governor reiterated his commitment towards the completion of North West University and appealed to those on scholarships both home and abroad to be calmed as his government will continue to provide funding for them to complete their studies and assured that he will continue on that footstep.
He further stressed that another area that is given prominence is cleanliness, Kano must be kept clean. The State Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) is reinvigorated for the task, the state government has acquired about seventy new trucks, loaders, excavators and very soon sanitation vanguards with mobile courts will inaugurated to inspect house to house cleaning exercise.
The amiable Governor noted that in order to reduce rate of unemployment in the state, the administration has sent one hundred youths to PAN Kaduna for training on how to repair modern vehicles at the end of the programme each of the beneficiaries will be given capital to establish himself. He said the empowerment will continue in a sequential manner.
Health is a very important issue in human development, in our effort to curb the menace of women and child mortality, we have trained over 130 birth attendance provided them all the necessary equipment and a tricycle also with birth attendance equipment in all the forty four local government areas in the state for safe delivery.
The state has twenty two dams at strategic areas so we are planning to produce more hydro-electric power and provided land space for solar energy in our quest to attract foreign investors.
In another development, Governor Ganduje approved the appointment of a new Chairman and Directors for the Kano State Board of Internal Revenue with immediate effect.
Those appointed include, Sani Abdulkadir Dambo as the Executive Chairman: AbdulMumini Ladan Ajumawa, Director Collection: and Ahmed S. Madigawa, as Director Planing, Research and Statistics:, while Abdulrazak Datti Salihi, is the Director Personal Income Tax (PIT) and Muhammad Abba Aliyu, as Road and other Taxes.
Others are Adamu Kabo Idris, Director, ICT: Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, Director MDAs (Non-Tax Revenue): Hussaini Abdulhameed Nurudeen, Director Tax Audit and Haruna Aliyu Yargaya, Director Assessment. the governor expressed commitment to overhaul and reform the Revenue Board , so as to effectively tackle the present challenges of dwindling economic fortunes and scarce revenue.
Among others, the statement stated that government has also in accordance with Section 10(f) of the Kano State Revenue Administration Law dumped Alhaji Habu Fagge as Chairman of the Kano State Board of Internal Revenue with immediate effect.
The said Section provides that the Chairman or a member of the Board ceases to hold office where “the governor has established that it is not in the interest of the service or of the public for the person to continue in office and the governor therefore relieved him of his position.
He emphasized that funding has be the obstacle and the trend of these progress because the state monthly federal allocation has drastically reduced to N4 billion instead of N9Billion and salaries alone consume N3.6Billion and this drew our attention towards providing means to generate more money through IGR hence our reason to reform the institute. He expressed satisfaction and concluded that we must task the rich to improve the life of the poor.