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Kano legislators and the need for social protection

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By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Social protection is defined by the united nations as a way of designing programs that address inequality, extreme poverty, malnutrition, disease and other social problems that retard human progress.

Some northwestern states of Nigeria have been rated by international agencies among states that are ravaged by extreme poverty and malnutrition, those suffering from extreme poverty include women and children that nurse from infancy to weaning stage.

States like Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa and Katsina are among the Northwestern states that need serious intervention on social protection.

How will social protection work in these three key states of the North-Western part of Nigeria? Policy makers are the most important component in ensuring social protection in Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara and the rest of the northwestern states for the purpose of reducing extreme poverty and malnutrition.

Around September 2019 Action Against Hunger (AAH) had in conjunction with Save the Children inaugurated the child grant development program with the sole aim of addressing acute malnutrition in Kano and Jigawa states.

It has been observed that the first one thousand days of a child is very important in making a child well nourished as he starts growing into a complete human being.

Poverty is in most instances worsened by deliberate neglect or the difficulty men face in providing good food that will help nursing mothers to breastfeed their infant children with nutritious milk.

Question of sustainability

Since social protection programs are meant to impact on the people at the grassroots, particularly those suffering from extreme poverty, Kano state policy makers and the rest of the states including Jigawa and Katsina have key roles to play.

The question is: can our policymakers sustain the efforts of Save the Children and Action Against Hunger in implementing social protection?

Section 14 of the 1999 constitution said security and welfare of the people are the primary responsibilities of government. The above quoted section is under fundamental objectives and directive principles of states policy.

One of the main pillars of democracy is the legislature. That was why during the military intervention in Nigerian politics, the first thing the military men did after carrying out a coup was to suspend the Nigerian constitution and issued a decree that effectively scrapped the Nigerian legislature.

With uninterrupted 20 years of Nigerian democracy the legislative arm of government is expected to be significant in providing good governance.

The national and state assemblies can make state and federal executives execute policies for the electorate to feel the impact of governance including social protection.

State assemblies are the legislators that are very close to the people and in good positions to understand the needs of the society.

Sometimes governors bring their bills to state assemblies and those bills are passed in a haste to please the governors.

There are tons of bills state legislators are supposed to pass in order to fulfill campaign promises to the electorate.

Kano is the most populous state in Nigeria and to address malnutrition and extreme poverty among women folk, there is great need for the state’s legislators to pass a bill for social protection where large chunk of funds will be allocated to the sector in a yearly budget to mitigate extreme poverty and malnutrition in the swing state.

The media and the civil society must contribute in making Kano legislators initiate a bill on social protection and pass it to the state governor for assent.

The state legislators should not serve as rubber stamps that are there to do the biddings of the executive instead of satisfying the need of the electorate through social protection.

If the time of the donor agencies elapsed those responsible will continue with social protection in addressing extreme poverty.

How other nations are fighting extreme poverty

Nigerians appreciate everything foreign more especially in developing and developed nations of the world like India, America ,Germany , England and these countries arrest extreme poverty through social protection. It is not because there are no poor people in these countries or because there are no people ridden with poverty but they fight it through social protection.

If advanced countries should remove social protection strategies from their policies, extreme poverty will abound. Since government can not cater for the whole population on employment, social protection becomes necessary.

The taxes they collect from their populace are used to implement poverty-fighting strategies like social protection.

What Kano legislators should do

For Kano legislators to write their name in gold, social protection bill should come in so that huge financial resources that are being diverted can be used to ensure social protection in Kano, whose population is growing without control.

If a relatively smaller state like Jigawa, with far less financial resources than Kano, can allocate N1.2 billion in its annual budget for social protection why not Kano, the commercial nerve center of Northern Nigeria?

Abbas Yushau Yusuf, a journalist based in Kano can be reached at abyushau2@gmail.com

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UNICEF applauds Kano State for enacting Child Protection Law, calls for effective implementation

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim 

United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) has commended the Government and citizens of Kano State for the recent enactment of the Child Protection Law, signed into law by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

KANO FOCUS reports that the commendation was contained in a statement issued by Samuel Kaalu UNICEF spokesperson in Kano.

The statement quoted Mr. Rahama R.M. Farah, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, saying “The Kano State Child Protection Law is a remarkable achievement that benefits the children and people of Kano. It establishes a legal framework to ensure the protection of children’s rights within the state.

“Now that the law has been established, it is crucial to allocate the necessary resources and establish mechanisms for its effective implementation. We urge the new administration in Kano State to take this vital step and provide adequate resources to ensure the comprehensive enforcement of the law.

Mr. Farah added that with the enactment of this law, Kano State joins other states that have successfully incorporated the Nigeria Child Rights Act, originally enacted by the National Assembly in 2003, into their legal frameworks.

He said “It is important to note that this Act is derived from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), of which Nigeria is a signatory. Extensive consultations were conducted with key stakeholders, including faith-based and community leaders, during the development of the bill.

“This collaborative effort ensured that the law reflects the values and aspirations of the people of Kano.”

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and its work for children.

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APC condemns Kano demolition exercise

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Aminu Abdullahi

 

 

 

 

 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has implored the victims of the recent demolition exercise embarked upon by the Kano State government to seek legal redress while describing the action of the new NNPP administration as barbaric and unacceptable.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that the Ag. State Chairman of the opposition party, Shehu Maiagari made the condemnation while Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday at the NUJ Press Centre, Kano.

The politician condemned the spate of demolition of business interests and property across the state by the Governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“The action of the state government has brought unnecessary chaos, rampant vandalism, daylight robbery and grabbing of property belonging to innocent members of the Kano society” he lamented.

The opposition party insisted that the demolition has destroyed the means of livelihood of the people of the state while lamenting that it has equally tarnished the reputation of the state as a safe commercial centre for secured business investment.

The APC appealed to security agencies in the state to step up action and restore the people’s confidence in light of the shock they had experienced while imploring parents and guardians to caution their children against being used as agents of destruction by the state government.

“We assure the good people of the state of our prayers and support in this trying period; we also implore those affected directly or indirectly, to seek redress in the court of law,” they stated.

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Kano Governor Appoints Habu Fagge as Pension Boss

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Kano State Governor Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has approved the appointment of Alhaji Habu Muhammad Fagge  as Executive Chairman, Kano State Pension Board Trustee.

KANO FOCUS reports that the appointment takes effect immediately as the governor directed for handing over and taking over within  24 hours.

A statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the governor Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa said Alhaji Habu Fagge, a holder of Bsc Finance from Abraham Lincoln University, served two terms as Executive Chairman of Kano Internal Revenue Services.

The statement added that the new appointee had served Kano State as director finance, director planning, research and statistics and director other taxes.

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