Headlines
Early Marriage: Kano to ban parents from marrying off schoolgirls
Nasiru Yusuf
Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Danlami Hayyo says the state would soon enact a law that will stop parents from marrying off their daughters before completing secondary education.
Dr. Hayyo disclosed this on Tuesday during a dissemination of research findings on impact of violence in schools on girls’ education in Northern Nigeria organized by SUBEB in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The SUBEB Chairman said the law if introduced will help to increase the literacy level among female children in the state.
According to him, “It is supposed to have been put in place long ago because normally, most of our children especially girls at the primary or junior secondary school level in some areas in Kano state get married before they finished the school.
“So that is the reason why the government wants to impose a law that every child most especially the girls must finish senior secondary school before marriage at least to improve or increase the literacy rate in the state.They go into marriage and have problems because they didn’t go to school.”
He explained that the law will help in producing female professionals in different aspects of human endeavor.
“If that is done, it will help produce female children in all field of work who will take charge where their services is needed. It will also bridge gaps where women in some cases needs service of their women folks but left with no option than to be attended to by their male counterparts,” he said.
Dr. Hayyo said many parents often withdraw their children from private schools to public schools in the state to benefit from the free and compulsory education put in place by the government.
Presenting the research findings, a member of the team, Hadiza Umar said 60% out of 13.2 million out-of-school children in the country were girls from Northern Nigeria while attributing the cause to various forms of violence against them while in the school.
Mrs Umar further said corporal punishment and emotional violence are top among the factors that discourages girls from going to school.
On his part, UNICEF Chief Field Officer, Kano Office, Maulid Warfa called for zero tolerance to any form of violence on children either in schools or in the larger society.
Warfa, represented by the Senior Education Manager, Michael Banda called on the state government to act by putting in place a legal system that will penalize violence against children.
“The findings today, have been outstanding particularly that it shows that violence in schools is almost a norm, meaning that it is been accepted by teachers and by the learners. That corporal punishment and others forms of punishment are a norm and that is the very beginning of our struggle to ensure that norm is no longer a norm,” he said.
“For UNICEF, we are going to take measures to ensure that teachers are well grounded to understand that there are alternative ways to discipline a child without resort to corporal punishment or any other form of physical or psychological punishment to children.
“For UNICEF, we take a stand that there should be zero tolerance to any form of violence to children be it in schools or communities,” Mr Warfa emphasised.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Imam Nura Garba Mato has urged Muslims to remain conscious of their actions, saying that divine reward and punishment often correspond to the nature of people’s deeds.
KANO FOCUS reports that the imam made the call while delivering a Friday sermon at Jami’u Ansar wal Muhajirun Jumaa Mosque, Cotton Ginnery Layout, Zawaciki, Kano State.
The sermon, titled “Al-Jazā’u Min Jinsil-‘Amal” (Recompense Is According to the Nature of Deeds), focused on the Islamic teaching that people’s actions have consequences and that good deeds attract divine reward.
Imam Mato said Allah had established enduring principles in human life that do not change, urging Muslims to understand these principles and allow them to guide their conduct.
He explained that one of these principles was that recompense corresponds to the nature of one’s actions, stressing the importance of living righteously and fulfilling one’s responsibilities to Allah and fellow human beings.
The imam called on Muslims to observe *taqwa* (consciousness of Allah), remain steadfast in their faith and follow the teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also highlighted the importance of helping people in difficulty, easing the burdens of others and showing compassion to fellow Muslims.
Quoting a prophetic tradition, the imam emphasised that whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship in this world will receive relief from Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He further explained that whoever conceals the faults of a fellow Muslim would receive Allah’s concealment of their faults on the Day of Resurrection, while those who make things easier for people in difficulty would receive Allah’s assistance in this world and the Hereafter.
The sermon also underscored the importance of supporting others, noting that a Muslim’s relationship with Allah should be reflected in their treatment of fellow human beings.
Imam Mato urged Muslims to reflect on their deeds and recognise that their conduct carries consequences, encouraging them to embrace good actions, assist those in need and uphold the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.
He stressed that Muslims should make righteousness, compassion and service to others central to their lives in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
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