Headlines
Kano inaugurates committee for $95m Agro Pastoral Development Project
By Mukhtar Yahya Usman
A 20-man steering committee has been inaugurated to supervise the execution of the $95 million Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project (KSADP).
This was contained in a statment signed by the project specialist Aminu K. Yassar and sent to KANO FOCUS on Tuesday.
Mr Yassar said the Project is a $95 million project funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Life and Livelihoods Fund (LLF).
He said the project focuses on improving crop production and enhancing livestock productivity in the state, even as its overall objective is to contribute to reducing poverty and strengthening food and food security.
In a message to the inauguration, the State Deputy Governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna explained that “the project emphasizes enhancement of agricultural production, productivity and competitiveness of both crop and livestock, with expected reduction in the number of people living below the poverty line in the state”.
“In quantitative terms, it aims to improve the living conditions of over 1, 260, 000 million people across the 44 local government areas of Kano state, and that is quite a large number of people”, he added.
Mr Gawuna, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Mal. Adamu Abdu Faragai, hinted that the project also aims to address incessant conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
“The project will initiate an unprecedented development momentum in Kano. As it unfolds, it will have tremendous positive impact on our environment and will contribute immensely towards improving the management of our natural resources”, he affirmed.
On the Steering committee, Mr Gawuna disclosed that “it is a significant component of the project management that will serve as an advisory body, comprising stakeholders. It will review project annual work plans and budget, implementation progress reports and provide guidance on different issues that could affect the project.
“The committee will meet twice a year in the first three years of the project and once a year in the subsequent two years. However, extraordinary meetings of the committee can be held whenever the need arises”, he added.
The deputy governor expressed optimism that the steering committee will work closely with the Project Executing Agency, the Project Management Unit and other stakeholders to guarantee the project’s sustainability.
Members of the PSC which is to be chaired by Mr Gawuna, who is also the Commissioner for Agriculture, include the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, the Director-General, Rural Access and Mobility Project, as well as representatives from the ministries of agriculture, water resources, justice, finance, environment, budget and economic planning, KNARDA, and the Project Management Unit.
Others are one representative each from crop farmers associations, milk processors association, L&Z Farms Nig. Ltd, cattle herders association, butchers association and the Kano State Grazing Reserves Management Committee.
Responding on behalf of the members, the state Project Coordinator (KSADP), who is also the secretary of the steering committee, Mal. Ibrahim Garba Muhammad, pledged that they would work as a team to make the set goals achievable.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The National President of the Government Arabic Teachers College Gwale Old Students Association (GATCOSA), Professor Kabiru Isa Dandago, is dead.
KANO FOCUS reports that Prof. Dandago, a renowned Professor of Accountancy at Bayero University Kano, died on Wednesday evening. His passing has thrown the academic community and associates into mourning.
In a message shared on GATCOSA’s WhatsApp platform, a Director at the Kano State Ministry of Higher Education, Alhaji Nura Dandago, announced that the funeral prayer for the late professor would be held on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. at his residence in Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano.
Until his death, Prof. Dandago served as the National President of GATCOSA and was widely respected for his contributions to education and public service. He previously served as Commissioner for Finance in Kano State during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Just last Saturday, the late academic presented a paper on economic challenges in Northern Nigeria at a Ramadan Lecture organised by the Islamic Forum of Nigeria, where he spoke passionately about strategies for economic reform and regional development.
Colleagues and admirers described Prof. Dandago as a dedicated scholar and public servant who was deeply committed to building a prosperous and self-reliant nation. His death marks the end of a distinguished career in academia and public service.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The basketball team of Bayero University Kano (BUK) has emerged champions of the Northwest 3×3 Basketball Championship hosted by Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
KANO FOCUS reports that the victorious team presented the championship trophy to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Haruna Musa, following their impressive performance at the tournament, which featured six universities from across Northern Nigeria.
BUK went unbeaten throughout the competition, winning all six matches and sealing the title with a thrilling 20–18 victory over the host institution, ABU Zaria, in the final.
In the group stage, BUK recorded a 10–0 win against Northwest University, Kano, and defeated the Air Force Institute of Technology 33–20. The team also edged the Federal University of Education, Kano, 11–9, before securing another dominant 10–0 victory over the Federal University of Transportation, Daura. They capped their remarkable run with the narrow 20–18 triumph in the final.
The victory marks BUK’s second championship title in the history of the competition, reinforcing the university’s growing reputation in collegiate sports.
Receiving the team, the Vice-Chancellor congratulated the athletes for bringing pride to the institution and urged them to sustain and surpass their current achievements. He reaffirmed the management’s commitment to strengthening sports development in the university and pledged continued institutional and individual support for the players’ sporting careers.
The presentation ceremony concluded with the formal handover of the trophy and cash rewards to the athletes in recognition of their discipline, teamwork and excellence.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State on Tuesday rolled out the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (KN-SEMSAS) as part of efforts to strengthen emergency response and improve access to timely healthcare across the state.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended the governor for procuring 20 ambulances for the programme, describing the initiative as a strategic step to align the state with ongoing national emergency health interventions. He noted that a formal inauguration of the scheme would be held at a later date.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf
Dr. Yusuf said the ambulances would play a critical role in transporting pregnant women to hospitals during labour, thereby reducing maternal and infant mortality. He added that any patient conveyed to a hospital through the scheme would have their transportation costs covered by the government.
He also called on members of the Guild of Medical Directors to support the initiative by procuring additional ambulances to complement government efforts.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf inspecting the ambulances
According to the commissioner, the vehicles are expected to respond to distress calls within the shortest possible time, ensuring prompt medical attention for residents in need.
Dr. Yusuf further stated that KN-SEMSAS would provide free, coordinated pre-hospital and emergency care services statewide. He described the establishment of the system as a major milestone in strengthening emergency medical response, reducing preventable deaths, and improving access to life-saving care for the people of Kano State.
The event was attended by the Director-General of the Drugs and Medical Consumables Agency, Pharmacist Ghali Sule; the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KASCHMA), Dr. Rahila Aliyu Mukhtar; and the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Prof. Mahmoud Adamu Abbas.
Group Picture
Goodwill messages were presented by representatives of various stakeholders, including the Lafiya Project, the Kano State Accountability Mechanism (KanSLAM), and the Kano State Fire Service, among others.
Abba Care: A Lifeline of Compassion in Kano State
GATCOSA President, Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago is dead
BUK clinches Northwest 3×3 basketball title at ABU Zaria
Kano rolls out emergency medical services, deploys 20 Ambulances
APC constitutes committees for Kano state congress
Lami Maccido, first person to appear on screens of NTA Kano, CTV 67, dies at 72
Kano begins Ramadan food distribution as Gov. Yusuf constitutes feeding committee
Kano Police announce movement restrictions ahead of assembly by-elections
K-SAFE appeals to Kano Executive Council to pass revised education bill
