Headlines
COVID-19: Kano private schools cut fees by 25%
Nasiru Yusuf
Members of the Association of Private Schools Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Kano state chapter have on Sunday agreed to reduce schools fees charges by 25 percent as directed by the State Ministry of Education.
Kano Focus reports that the proprietors announced their decision during a visit to the commissioner of education in his office.
It could be recalled that the state ministry of education has threatened to cancel third term, if proprietors failed to reduce their school fees.
Speaking during the visit, the National Deputy President of the APSON, Maryam Magaji said that their association has decided to comply with the government directives for the reduction of the school fees with a view to cushioning the effects of the economic hardship suffered as a result of the covid-19 pandemic by parents in Kano State.
She explained that the directives given to the proprietors for the reduction of the school fees was not intended to hurt anybody, rather, it was done in the best interest of the educational development of the state.
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She noted that even though their association doesn’t have jurisdiction to force other three sister associations to follow suit, she however pledged to mobilize all the members of the APSON to oblige to the directives.
“We cannot force the 3 sister associations to do the same as we do, but we are pledging our loyalty to the government and we would mobilize our members to comply.
“We are not going to media to destroy the good efforts of the ministry and we would not support any body to go to court and challenge the government decision,” she said.
In her remarks, the chairperson of the Kano state chapter of the association, Bimbo Awotunde disclosed that they were at the ministry to register their compliance with government’s decision for the reduction of 25 percent school fees and expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for maintaining good working relationship with private schools operating in the state.
Responding, the state Commissioner of Education, Muhammad Sanusi Sa’id Kiru expressed his heartfelt appreciation and that of the state government over the decision taken by APSON to comply with the government’s directive.
The Commissioner explained that the decision to reduce school fees was taken in the best interest of both parents and proprietors.
He therefore urged school proprietors to consider the reduction of the fees as part of their corporate social responsibility, noting that government is very much aware of the economic hardships suffered by both the school owners and the parents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Kiru said that the government has the mandate to impose the policy but decided to consult proprietors in an effort to sustain the existing cordial relationship.
The Commissioner however warned that the state government will not hesitate to cancel the third term if majority of the proprietors refused to comply with fees reduction.
Kano state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has raided a warehouse where over 1,000 bags of maize were distributed by the state government as palliatives were diverted and hoarded.
Kano Focus learned that the governor busted the warehouse, located at the Sharadaan industrial area of Kano City on Saturday.
The governor, was visibly angry after seeing how the 10kg bags of maize meant for poor people were emptied and the maize grains re-bagged in larger unmarked bags, apparently to be sold in the open markets.
It could be recalled that over 200,000 bags of food items had been distributed by Mr Yusuf, a few months ago to vulnerable people to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
It is understood that Governor Yusuf vowed to uncover and punish the persons behind the diversion and hoarding of the relief materials.
….. Set aside Six Billion for Six 6,000 Beneficiaries
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In fullfilment of one of the campaign promises as contained in his blueprint, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has Saturday flagged-off the first tranche of settlement of death benefits to deceased civil servants and gratuity of pensioners to about six thousand (6,000) beneficiaries who exited from the civil service and deceased workers between 2016 and 2019 totalling billion naira at an elaborate occasion that was held at Coronation Hall Government House.
KANO FOCUS reports that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said the payment was possible despite meagre resources, inherited empty treasury and competing developmental projects as the government had blocked leakages of public funds siphoning and more viable projects for people of the state.
A statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the governor Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa quoted Yusuf saying his administration was highly concerned with the plight of pensioners especially those at the lower level as they are the end receipients of the economic hardship occasion by the removal of fuel Subsidy in the country.
The Governor added that to ensure the continuation of the settlement of the backlog, 10 billion naira was propose in the state next year’s budget for more inclusion of gratuity and death benefits of bereaved families of deceaseds civil servants to enjoy their legitimate entitlements.
He made a clarion call to the receivers of the funds, to make judicious use of what they collected and invest wisely in lawful businesses for more incomes to cater for their day to day needs and other necessities of life.
In his submission, the deputy governor and Commissioner for local governments and Chieftaincy affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo appreciated the selection of beneficiaries with not more than 3 million at the state level, 1.5 million at local governments levels all within grade level 1-6.
The Executive Chairman of Kano State Pension Trustees Fund, Alhaji Habu Muhammad Fagge, said the commencement of liquidating the backlog and ensure prompt payment of gratuity and death benefits was a clear indication of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s zeal to better the lives of pensioners and provide succur to the families of deceased civil servants.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano state government has announced that out of the 138,430 tested for HIV, 4,728 have been found to be positive from January 2023 to date.
KANO FOCUS reports that with this figure, it indicates that a total of 46,732 persons are living with the disease and receiving treatment in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, made this known on Friday while delivering a speech at the commemoration of this year’s World AIDS Day in Kano.
He, however, disclosed that the state has improved its strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by successfully conducting tests for 95 percent of all pregnant women during their first ANC visit, out of which only 0.04 percent are found positive.
He stated, “We have tested a total of 138,430 people for HIV and found 4,728 positive and have successfully initiated new 4,140 HIV-infected persons on ART from January 2023 to date.”
He noted that “Currently, the state has 46,732 people living with HIV receiving treatment.
“We have improved our strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by successfully conducting HIV testing for 95 percent of all pregnant women during their first ANC visit, out of which only 0.04 percent turned HIV positive,” the Commissioner stated.
Dr. Ladan further explained efforts by the state in managing the situation where he said, for the first time, the state has achieved a state HIV budget target of 3 percent, N2 billion, of the total health budget in the proposed budget submitted to the Kano state Assembly.
The event themed “Let Communities Lead” was in collaboration with the USAID in Kano as well as other partners.
He said that the state government appreciated the support of partners like USAID, LHSS, NEPWHAN, and KanSLAM for their advocacy engagements towards achieving the KSACA’s budget.
Earlier, the Director-General of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA), Dr. Usman Bashir, said SACA has brought on board 600 persons living with AIDS to benefit from the free healthcare service package introduced by the state government.
Dr. Bashir then hinted that “Most of the beneficiaries are children of those who died of HIV, as well as those children living with the disease.”
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