Headlines
2023: Group sensitises Kano CSO’s on voting credible candidates
Nasiru Yusuf
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, an advocacy group advocating for Good Governance and total liberation of the Nigerian masses “The Nigeria Agenda” has reaffirmed Commitment in enlightening Nigerians importance of choosing a leader who has Nigerians at Heart.
KANO FOCUS reports that The Nigeria Agenda comprises members of various political parties, civil society organisations, students, trade unions and community-based organisations.
The Chief Advocate of ‘The Nigeria Agenda’, Niyi Akinsiju appealed to Nigerians to elect credible candidates who have the capacity to take the country to promise land irrespective of their religion, ethnicity or geographical location.
Mr. Niyi Akinsiju
Akinsaju made the call during the inauguration of the movement in Kano and interactive session with the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs who are saddled with responsibility to step down the project to the grassroots.
Akinsaju said, “there is a need to band together in conscientious vertical and horizontal solidarity, the more than 280 different tongues-ethnic groupings, divided along the two mainstream religions, must transform into active leadership recruitment officers, conscious of their rights, duties and responsibilities as Nigerian citizens and made potentates in the democratic space by jettisoning base appeals to primordial differences. And, as a collective, demand of leaders, the requirements of social progression, economic growth, security of lives and properties at all tiers of government. And to that extent, emplace leadership that will ensure inclusiveness, transparency in government, and integrity in the business of governance rather than those that will excuse abysmal performance or criminality in the conduct of government on the smokescreen of ethnicity and religious persecution.
“This translates to making political leaders answerable for their deeds in office to the citizens; to ensure compliance by leaders to ethos of equity, equality, right of access to material assets, to justice, and to the enjoyment of unhindered peaceful existence anywhere we may find ourselves within the Nigerian geographical space without let or hinderance.
“These are the pillars on which the The Nigeria Agenda is pivoted, and to which we invite you to review and adopt, and to join us to amplify and propagate across Nigeria, conscious of our Nigerianess”.
He added that, “But as we aspire for greater economic returns and ennobling social conditions, the significance of recruiting the right kind of leadership at all tiers of governance to facilitate these is crucial. This is where the Kano political paradigm that I had romaticised earlier, applies; the recognition of our inherent and growing unity as a people because of our shared history and experiences, and the need to galvanize the capability to make leaders responsible and answerable to the people by acting and thinking beyond cleavages of our differences in the recruitment, evaluation and monitoring of the performances of political leaders.
“The Talakawa of Kano were able to transcend primordial sentiments by bonding around the virtues and attributes of their commonalities to achieving political ascendancy through solidarity of a single mindedness to dominate the political space for the good of the people.
“Indeed, the choice of Kano is the outcome of a rationalisation that was premised, not only on the city’s central positioning in Nigeria’s Northwest geopolitical zone, but more significantly, because of its robust history of citizens’ engagements made manifest in the historical sublimity of the Talakawa political culture and tradition that still define the politics of the city and to a large extent, the politics of the State in contemporary times.
“Thus, while citizens, especially of the social and economic category perjoratively described as commoners, in other states of the Nigerian federation, in bemoaned their burden of existence and listless fate under a political system materially dominated by an elite minority, which is usually driven by narrow self interest that mostly bothered on selfish expropriation of collective patrimony, the Kano commoners, the Talakawa, had long ago found and aggregated a common social, economic and political identity and purpose in their numbers. And, earlier than any citizens’ movement anywhere in the country, made commitments to not only the contest for democratic power, but to, by concrete class action, insist on making the people the centre of both government and governance working through the covenant inherent in the Sawaba Declaration of Principles of 1951.
“This inaugural advocacy of The Nigeria Agenda is held here, in Kano city, in deference to this precocious act of political self enablement and activation, consumated about 71 years ago under Mallam Aminu Kano, the teacher, whose boundless humanism inspired a mass based peoples ideological movement and a political trend that is still a reference item in the simplicity of its context and at the same, its conceptual sophistication which helped the ordinary people overcome spurious divisions in their ranks. And, in honour of those patriots that have continued to propagate and sustain the ethos of that era.
“Whilst Kano’s political and ideological pedigrees provide a strong ground to host this advocacy, we equally find an alluring proposition in the testimonials of the political activism of its political history, which continues to evolve through contemporary times, as a paradigm of adaptation for The Nigeria Agenda,” Akinsiju however stated.
Others who spoke at the occasion include former Adamawa state commissioner of information Ahmed Sajoh, Chairman Council of Ulama, Kano State Shiekh Ibrahim Khalil and factional Chairman of All progressive Congress APC Kano Chapter Ahmadu Haruna Zago represented by Idris Haruna Zago.
Shiekh Ibrahim Khalil
The group have also paid homage to Emir of Kano Aminu Ado Bayero where Bashir Muhammad Dankadai (Dan Kadan Kano) hosted them on behalf of the monarch.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the project will be extended to all six geopolitical zones.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has sacked the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, along with five commissioners, and scrapped the office of the Chief of Staff.
KANO FOCUS reports that those removed include the Commissioner for Information, Halilu Baba Dantiye; Ibrahim Jibril Fagge of the Finance Ministry; Ladidi Ibrahim Garko of Culture and Tourism; Shehu Aliyu Karaye of Special Duties; and Abbas Sani Abbas of Rural and Community Development.
In a major cabinet reshuffle announced in a statement by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, Governor Yusuf reassigned the portfolios of seven commissioners, including the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, who was moved from Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to the Ministry of Higher Education.
According to the statement, Governor Yusuf said the reshuffle of the state executive council is meant to effect a pragmatic political realignment of his administration.
Those who retained their positions include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi; Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud; Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran; Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Hon. Abduljabbar Mohammed Umar; Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Musa Suleiman Shannon; and Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr. Marwan Ahmad.
Also retained are the Commissioner for Solid and Mineral Resources, Sefianu Hamza; Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Auwal; Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso; Commissioner for Investment and Commerce, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and Commissioner for Internal Security and Special Services, Major General Mohammad Inuwa Idris (Rtd).
According to the statement, those reassigned include Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, who is moved from the Ministry of Local Government to Higher Education; Hon. Mohammad Tajo Usman, who moved from Science and Technology to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; and Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim K/Mata, from Higher Education to Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Others reassigned include Hon. Amina Abdullahi, who moved from Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation to the Ministry for Women, Children, and Disabled; Hon. Nasiru Sule Garo, from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to the Ministry of Special Duties.
Hon. Ibrahim Namadi, Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, is now moved to the Ministry of Transport, while Hon. Haruna Doguwa of the Ministry of Education is moved to the Ministry of Water Resources. On the reassigned list are Hon. Ali Haruna Makoda, moved from Water Resources to the Ministry of Education; Hon. Aisha Lawal Saji, from the Ministry of Women, Children, and Disabled to Tourism; and Hon. Muhammad Diggol, from Transport to the Ministry of Project Monitoring and Evaluation.
Meanwhile, Governor Yusuf has dropped five members of his cabinet, including Ibrahim Jibril Fagge of the Finance Ministry; Ladidi Ibrahim Garko of Culture and Tourism; Baba Halilu Dantiye of Information; Shehu Aliyu Karaye of Special Duties; and Abbas Sani Abbas of Rural and Community Development.
Additionally, the Governor has directed the Chief of Staff and the five commissioners who have been dropped to report to the Governor’s office for possible reassignment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, formally received the accreditation report for the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education programs on Wednesday.
KANO FOCUS reports that the report was presented by the accreditation team from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The team, led by Professor Bashir Maina of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, commended BUK for its substantial investment in e-library resources, which significantly enhance learning and research for both staff and students.
Professor Maina also praised the university’s impressive achievements in the development of physical infrastructure.
In his remarks, Professor Abbas expressed appreciation for the accreditation team’s visit, emphasizing the importance of such evaluations in fostering continuous improvement across all aspects of the university’s operations.
He reaffirmed BUK’s commitment to upholding quality and standards in all its programs, aligning them with global best practices.
The Vice Chancellor assured the team that their recommendations would be addressed promptly.
Other members of the accreditation team included Professor Amos Isiaka Gambari from Federal University, Minna; Professor Markus Zira Kamkwis from Adamawa State University, Mubi; and NUC representative, Nuruddeen Musa Umar.
Headlines
Post Harvest Loss: Kano Partners Aviation Industry to Advance Export of Agricultural Produces
Kano state government has expressed readiness to partner with aviation companies under the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to boost agribusiness through cargo export of perishable produces from Kano to neighboring states, African countries and europe.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf gave the commitment when he hosted delegation of cargo management services from Federal Airpoet Authority (FAAN) at the government on Wednesday.
A statement by Governor’s spokesperson Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa disclosed that Governor Yusuf who was delighted to collaborate with the cargo transportation of farm produces from Kano believed the initiative would encourage production level.
Yusuf, represented by the chief of staff, Alhaji Shehu Wada Sagagi, said the new development scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025 will reduce post harvest loss which accounted for over 35 per cent of total proceed of produce.
The Governor assured the aviation industry players that his administration was prepared to advance the new mode of transporting agro-products to neighboring southern states and outside the country which would drastically reduce security and other risk on movement of produce through road transport.
Earlier, General Manager, General Cargo Service, FAAN, Mrs Alao Mamman Rekiya said the visit to the government intended to seek areas of corporation and synergy in the introduction of cargo export of farm produces from Kano to states in Nigeria and beyond.
Rekiya added that the Federal government’s initiative in the aviation sector was part of overall renewed agenda on diversification of revenue generation through cargo export.
She emphasized that with provision of cargo export of vegetables and other perishable produces from Kano, the Federal government is encouraging the farmers to improve on quality production and open up the state for economic viability.
She urged the state government to take advantage of the new down to create job opportunities in aviation ecosystem and reduce annual wastage on postharvest lose in the sector.
The team agreed to form an inter-agency committee on the project to explore its potentials for the economic prosperity of the commercial state.
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