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Emir Sanusi praises Buhari for constituting Economic Advisory Council
By Nasiru Yusuf
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for forming Economic Advisory Council (EAC).
Addressing newsmen at his palace on Tuesday, Sanusi said the president has done the right thing by appointing professional economists who know the nitty gritty of Nigerian economy.
According to him, at this time when the nation is facing economic problems, and the global economy facing uncertainty due to trade wars, the president has done a good thing by forming what he described as “first class economic team.”
The monarch described the members of the team as seasoned economists who, according to him, would turn the nation’s economy around, adding that their appointment could have been the best policy of the Buhari administration.
He added that Buhari deserved commendation and support for taking the bull by its horn in fixing the ailing economy of the country, expressing optimism that the the Economic Advisory Council members would be fantastic in accomplishing its mission.
“If you look at the kind of system we operate, if you look at the United States, every US president always has a council of economic advisers. And one of the reasons you have that council is you want independent academics who are able to give you frank and honest advice on how to run the economy and address its problems.
” What president has done is to follow that pattern, to appoint a team of highly respected professionals to advise him at this time when we have economic problem and fiscal issue. When a global economy is facing uncertainty due to trade wars, the president needs high quality advice,” he said
Emir Sanusi however denied criticising government’s economic policies, accusing media, especially the newspapers of misrepresenting his views.
He said “I don’t think it is correct that I am criticising the economic policy of the government. I think newspapers have derived a lot of fun misrepresenting my views. I am not critical of government economic policies. What I have always done is to see things and to offer advice on things to be done.
“What we do as advisers and economics is to praise things that have been done possibly and recommend areas of improvement,” he said
While extolling the appointees, the emir said he had practically known and worked with them, adding that the president had done a good thing by appointing them as his economic team.
“The team is a fantastic team. I know practically all of them. I have worked with many of them at different points in my life. Soludo was CBN governor when I was in banking. Doyin Salami, Shehu Yahya were both on the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN.
“I have worked with Muhammad Sagagi in the Industrialization Plan for DFID in Kano. These are the people that are highly respected by professional economists. They are the best team that you can put together. And they have a great balance. You have monetary policy, you have fiscal policy, you have development plan, you have financial market and I think the president has done himself a lot of good,” the monarch revealed.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state government said the administration of former Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso left a liability of N54, 408, 259, 638.05 billion for the five kilometre road projects across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Kano Focus reports that the state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba dropped the hint on Sunday while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state Executive Council Meeting held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.
He said the council received the report of the Technical Committee to assess the 5 km road projects all of which were awarded by the previous administration under the defunct Ministry of Land and Physical Planning with the state Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) as supervising agency.
Mr Garba said the committee visited 39 local governments where its detailed report indicated awarded contract sum for the projects, present site conditions, value of executed works, amount certified and amount released for the projects.
The commissioner pointed out that 5km projects in three local governments were revoked and rewarded due to non-performance in Warawa, Ungogo and Dawakin Tofa, while some portions of the projects in Tsanyawa and Bichi along Kano-Katsina road were released to the federal ministry of works and housing based on request from the federal government.
He said other three projects in Rimin Gado, Karaye and Bunkure local government that fall within main arterial highway were expunged from the main project and re-awarded separately for execution, while metropolitan local governments of Dala, Nassarawa, Gwale, Municipal and Tarauni were allotted various projects within the municipality as 5km projects.
Mr Garba pointed out that the council has approved the release of N607, 124, 663.47 million for the rehabilitation of Rimin Gado-Sabon Fegi-Jilli-Gulu road in Rimin Gado local government.
The commissioner stated that approval has also been given by the council for the conversion of the existing School of Post Basic Midwifery Gezawa to the status of School of Nursing Gezawa to broaden the platform for training of more qualified midwives in order to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has approved the domestication of National social protection policy in the state.
Kano Focus reports that the Social Protection Policy is designed to show the commitment of the Government to the effective mobilisation and efficient utilisation of state resources to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
The state Commissioner of planning and budget Nura Muhammad Dankadai revealed this on Friday at a one day interactive session with with journalists and civil society organizations.
Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai
Mr Dankadai said governor Ganduje approved the domestication of the policy on Thursday.
According to him when domesticated the policy will provide legal framework for school feeding programme, ante natal and post natal care, addressing gender based violence and protecting people living with disabilities.
On the meeting with journalists, Mr Dankadai said it was aimed at intimating them with on the state government’s projects and received some inputs for possible submission to the government.
The commissioner uses the opportunity to appeal to civil society organizations and journalists to sensitise people on the current economic challenges which made it difficult for the state to pay workers salary for the month of March.
In their separate contributions Akibu Hamisu, I. G Maryam and Wali Ado Rano advised Kano state government on the need to address multiple taxation, grant local government financial autonomy and holding periodic interactive session with CSOs and journalists.
Nasiru Yusuf
The management of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has visited the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission Umar Garba Danbatta.
Kano Focus reports that during the visit the AKTH team also presented an award to Danbatta as an expression of the hospital’s appreciation for the enormous contributions of the EVC and the Commission to the development of health institutions over the years in the country.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of AKTH, Abdulrahman Sheshe, who led the delegation on the courtesy call, said, “the objective of our being here today is to appreciate your contribution in person and as EVC of NCC to the growth and development of the teaching hospital.”
According to Sheshe, through the support and donations from Kano people like the EVC and institutions like NCC, the hospital has increased its bed capacity from 250 to 700, as well as performing 57 successful transplant surgeries.
“You have also made enormous contributions in this regard and that has helped us to get new dialysis machines through your assistance and these machines are being put to use, aside from other state-of-the-art equipment already in place,” he said while appreciating the EVC.
The CMD, however, sought NCC’s support in the area of a Health Information Management System (HIMS) and digital capacity for staff.
Responding, however, Danbatta thanked the hospital management for the visit and the award, noting that the Commission supports federal institutions with necessary ICT equipment across the country and is ready to assist AKTH in this regard.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta
“As a Commission, we are working to bridge the infrastructure divide, which is an element of the entire digital ecosystem. We do this via a lot of ongoing regulatory initiatives. And, through our training arm, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), we provide digital literacy to critical sectors of the economy, including the health sector, we also intervene through our Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme,” he said.
According to Danbatta, digital divide can be bridged by making computers available and ICT services accessible to people and key sectors of the economy.
Danbatta (middle) flanked by top management committee of AKTH and NCC staff during the courtesy visit
“Infrastructure that can host this massive flow of information and knowledge is broadband infrastructure and this is top-most in the agenda of the Commission. Indeed, ICT is transforming every sector of the economy and the earlier we embrace the vast opportunity brought by ICT the better,” the EVC pointed out.
Kwankwaso left over N50bn liability for LGs 5km projects – Kano Govt
Kano domesticate social protection policy
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Meet unsung court registrar, Ustaz Sunusi Khalifa
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