Headlines

Kano elders to establish ‘technology village’ to tackle economic decline

Published

6 days ago

November 5, 2019

By Nazifi Dawud

The Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative (KCCI)– a group of notable Kano citizens and statesmen has revealed its plans to set up a “Technology Village” by utilizing the skills of young ICT experts to create employment and boost the state’s economy.

Addressing a news conference on Tuesday at the NUJ Press centre in Kano, chairman of the KCCI, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, who spoke on behalf of other members, identified economic decline as the root cause of youth unemployment and and moral decadence.

“We have met with a group of young graduates and others who are ICT specialists and together we are developing a KCCI idea of founding a ‘Technology Village’ in Kano and two other selected northern states as a start.

“Some of these brilliant young men and women have developed some fantastic applications. Unfortunately, we lack venture capitalist around here. But we intend to search elsewhere,” he said.

Mr Tofa, a former presidential candidate also said the KCCI had last year organized a mini conference with young inventors who came and “displayed remarkable inventions like helicopter, a motor car, new methods of drilling boreholes, electric wall brackets and some farm implements.”

“There are also a group of women enterpreneurs who manufacture very beautiful leather bags, shoes and other clothing and jewelry items.

“For all these, we intend…to hold an exhibition in collaboration with the Kano state government and the federal government so that we can find an opening for their talents for their benefits and that of the country,” he said.

‘Cause of economic decline in Kano’

Mr Tofa explained that the KCCI had embarked on visits to 30 industries and farms in Kano central district to identify the cause of “deteriorating commercial activities in Kano”, with the aim of proffering solutions.

He added that although most of the industries have specific problems, all the 30 have complained about common issues such as:

Multiple taxation
Inadequate power supple
differentials in energy cost (higher in north)
high interest rates
dilapidated and embarrassing infrastructure (roads, drainages)
lack of government concern
dumping of foreign goods
threat from foreign competitors
environmental pollution
difficulties in sourcing funds
Abrupt and sudden enforcement of some draconian measures including inspection and seizure of goods by customs and other regulatory agencies.

“It is our earnest hope that the advice we have given will be seriously considered by the authorities and appropriate actions taken to remedy the situations before it is too late.

“We know very well that both the federal and the state governments are doing what they can to make life much better for the people. We only urge that more attention should be focused on the problems we highlighted. In due cours, we intend to seek appointments to follow up on these matters with the authorities we mentioned in the report,” Mr Tofa said.

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Headlines

Kano APC denies PDP claims of plot to change Appeal Court judges

Published

40 mins ago

November 11, 2019

Kano Focus

Mukhtar Yahya Usman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state has denied allegations by the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) of a plan to influence the choice of Court of Appeal judges who will preside over the Kano governorship election appeal.

KANO FOCUS recalls that the PDP made the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday in Kano.

Kano state commissioner for information Muhammad Garba characterized the PDP allegations as “blatant lies intended to blackmail the Appeal Court as it clearly indicated that the opposition party is jittery, confused and afraid of possible loss at the Court”.

Mr Garba, in a statement issued on Monday alleged that the PDP usually spread lies whenever it realizes that it was about to lose an election.

He said the APC and its candidate have confidence in the outcome of the Appeal Court judgment and they are not planning to disrupt the judicial process.

He added that the Kano state government will not allow the PDP to incite violence through misguided statements.

Headlines

PDP accuses APC, Ganduje of plotting to change Kano guber appeal judges

Published

19 hours ago

November 10, 2019

Kano Focus

By Mukhtar Yahya Usman

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of plotting to change the judges that have been already assigned to preside over the Kano state Governorship Election Appeals Panel.

Kano Focus recalls that the PDP and its candidate in Kano Abba Yusuf have filed an appeal at the Kaduna Division of the Appeal Court, after their petition challenging the victory of Mr Ganduje, was dismissed by the Kano Election Tribunal led by Justice Halima Shamaki.

In a statement on Sunday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP alleged that there are “plots to replace the judges with pliable ones, who have been compromised and briefed to alter justice and do the bidding of the APC and Governor Ganduje.”

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the sitting of the panel, which was moved from Monday, November 11 to Tuesday November 12, 2019 due to the public holiday on Monday, had been adjourned indefinitely.

“We have reports that this was due to pressure being mounted by the APC and agents of Governor Ganduje to alter the list of the judges.

“Our party has also been reliably informed that the indefinite adjournment was to enable the replacement of the already announced judges with pliable officials who will manipulate the judicial process in favour of the APC,” Mr Ologbondiyan said.

The opposition party also claimed that even before the commencement of the appeal hearing, supporters of Mr Ganduje have already started celebrating victory.

“Already, the supporters of Governor Ganduje are in jubilant mode, claiming that they have moved beyond the Court of Appeal, even when the panel is yet to commence sitting.

“Nigerians will recall that similar scenario played out during the composition of the Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, when the initial judges were changed after which the judgment went in favour of Ganduje and the APC to the chagrin of the people.

“With the on-going plot by the APC, Ganduje’s supporters have been going about boasting that the Court of Appeal judges, that were already announced and expected the commence sitting on Tuesday, will be changed to suit the interest of the APC and Governor Ganduje,” the statement said.

“The PDP cautions that any change in the already listed judges could trigger tension and crisis in the state, given the demand of the people for justice.

“Our party therefore calls on the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, not to allow anybody to draw her into the arena by ensuring that the already constituted panel is not in anyway altered,” it added.

Headlines

Kano kidney patient, who sought N15m for transplant, dies

Published

20 hours ago

November 10, 2019

Kano Focus

By Nasiru Yusuf

A kidney disease patient, Mahmud Aminu Daneji who sought N15 million medical assistance for transplant in India has died.

Mr Daneji popularly known as ” Mamuda Elder” died on Sunday at the age of 46 and left behind a wife and a son.

He died while seeking N15 million assistance to enable him travel to India for kidney transplant.

His funeral prayer is scheduled to take place on Monday morning at Layin Bata, Gadon Kaya quarters in Kano city.

In an interview recently, Mr Daneji had told Kano Focus that his two kidneys failed simultaneously in 2001 after he was struck by severe hypertension.

“I used to be a very healthy and productive man before hypertension struck me down. I was living my life happily when suddenly my blood pressure shot to over 220 in March 2001,” he had said.

In October 2006, Mr Daneji had a successful kidney transplant, which worked for four years before it also failed in 2010.

He had explained that since since 2001 he had undergone more than 1,473 dialysis sessions.