Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Kano State Government has introduced a free emergency medical treatment programme that provides eligible patients with lifesaving care for the first 48 hours at designated hospitals across the state.

KANO FOCUS reports that the initiative, being implemented through the Kano State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (KN-SEMSAS) under the Ministry of Health, is designed to ensure that victims of medical emergencies receive prompt treatment without financial barriers.

According to information released by the state government, the scheme covers children under the age of five, including newborns with emergency conditions, road traffic accident victims, gunshot injuries, snakebite cases, drowning incidents, fire-related injuries, building collapse victims, communal clash casualties and other weapon-related injuries.

The programme also includes obstetric and neonatal emergency referrals from Kano State’s 18 MAMII local government areas through the SaveMAMA referral system.

Under the initiative, emergency treatment is provided free of charge for the first 48 hours at accredited Emergency Medical Treatment Centres (EMTCs) across the state.

The government advised patients or their relatives to contact the KN-SEMSAS Emergency Call Centre before or immediately upon arrival at an accredited hospital to obtain an authorisation code, while stressing that emergency treatment should not be delayed while the code is being processed.

Residents were urged to use the national toll-free emergency line 112 or the state’s dedicated emergency numbers 09019999920 and 09049999914 to request ambulance services and access the programme.

The accredited hospitals participating in the scheme include Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH), Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Sir Muhammad Sanusi Specialist Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital, Waziri Shehu Gidado General Hospital, MDS Hospital, Zak Clinic, MGK Hospital and Khadijat Memorial Hospital.

The state government said the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery and improve access to lifesaving medical services for residents.

It called on members of the public to take advantage of the programme and share information about the emergency treatment scheme to enable more residents to benefit from the free services.

Ibrahim Khalil

The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) has congratulated Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf following Kano State’s emergence as the highest-ranked sub-national government in education spending among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

KANO FOCUS reports that the commendation followed the release of the Sub-National Weighted Average Education Spending Index (S-WAESI), which ranked Kano first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across 15 ECOWAS countries with a score of 87.21 out of 100.

In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim, K-SAFE described the achievement as a landmark recognition of the state’s commitment to improving education through increased investment, effective budget implementation and strengthened education governance.

The forum also congratulated the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda, and other stakeholders in the education sector, saying the ranking validates the ongoing reforms being implemented by the state government.

According to the statement, Kano recorded outstanding performance in key indicators, including actual education spending, budget execution, education priority and spending per learner.

“Kano’s emergence as the highest-ranked sub-national government in education spending across ECOWAS reflects the government’s resolve to place education at the centre of its development agenda and invest in the future of the state’s children,” the statement said.

K-SAFE acknowledged the contributions of the Ministry of Education, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Science and Technical Schools Board (STSB), the Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB), the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board (KSPVIB), development partners, teachers, school administrators, School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), civil society organisations and other stakeholders for their roles in strengthening the state’s education system.

While celebrating the feat, the forum urged the state government not to relent in its efforts, stressing the need to sustain increased investment in education and deepen ongoing reforms.

It called on the government to increase education budget allocations, ensure timely release of approved funds, improve school infrastructure, expand access to digital learning facilities, recruit and train qualified teachers, and prioritise foundational literacy and numeracy, girl-child education, inclusive education and second-chance learning opportunities for out-of-school children.

The forum also advocated greater transparency and public participation in education planning and expenditure, saying such measures would further improve the state’s performance in future assessments.

K-SAFE reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Kano State Government through evidence-based advocacy, independent monitoring, policy dialogue and community engagement to ensure that investments in education translate into improved learning outcomes across the state.

The forum described investment in education as a strategic driver of human capital development, economic growth and sustainable development, adding that every child in Kano deserves access to safe, inclusive and quality education regardless of background.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has unveiled a regional project inspection initiative aimed at showcasing key development projects in Northern Nigeria, while urging journalists and social media influencers to uphold ethical communication and combat misinformation.

Speaking on Monday at the maiden Arewa Media Summit in Kano, organised by his office, Abdulaziz said the gathering was conceived to strengthen dialogue between government, citizens and the media through accountability, responsibility and ethical communication.

He said effective governance depends on transparency, responsible civic engagement and a professional media that serves as a bridge between leaders and the people through factual and balanced reporting.

The presidential aide also cautioned social media influencers, who command large online audiences, to verify information before publication and avoid content capable of creating division, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

According to him, more than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) social media communicators were trained ahead of the summit to enhance their capacity to communicate government policies, programmes and achievements effectively.

Abdulaziz also unveiled the Gani Ya Kori initiative, a regional project inspection tour designed to spotlight landmark projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern state governors that have received limited public attention.

“The initiative will help ensure that citizens are adequately informed about development projects and government interventions across the region,” he said.

The summit also featured a keynote address by the Minister of Information and National Reorientation, Mohammed Idris, who urged journalists and social media influencers to deny bandits and terrorists the publicity they seek.

“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” the minister said.

He stressed that democracy flourishes when government remains transparent, citizens participate responsibly and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.

Idris observed that while the digital revolution has transformed communication by making every smartphone a broadcasting platform, it has also accelerated the spread of fake news and disinformation capable of undermining national unity and public confidence.

Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called on other states to emulate Kano’s Special Reporters Initiative, through which more than 150 young people have been deployed to ministries, departments, agencies and the state’s 44 local government areas to strengthen government communication and public enlightenment.

KANO FOCUS reports that the summit attracted journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital content creators, academics, policymakers and communication professionals from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on the theme, “Government, Citizens: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice.”