Headlines
Dangote cement graduates 40 women in fashion design

Mukhtar Yahaya Usman
Dangote Cement Plc has graduated no fewer than 40 women in fashion design in Kogi State.
KANO FOCUS reports that the graduation ceremony of the skill acquisition programme was held on Thursday at Obajana, Kogi State.
Speaking at the occasion, the Plant Director, of Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana, Mr. JV Gungune, said the skill acquisition scheme was meant to support the government in its job creation efforts.
Mr. Gungune said even though the job creation scheme aptly fits into the company’s vision and mission, it cannot do it alone, nor can it employ everyone, adding that the skill acquisition program is another way of creating employment for the people of Kogi State.

The Plant Director said the beneficiaries should count themselves lucky to have been selected and trained in the program, even as he urged them to ensure that the skills and the equipment provided by the company are put into proper use.
Also Speaking, the Head of Social Performance Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Wakeel Olayiwola, said the empowerment is one in the series of several other interventions among host communities being executed by Dangote Cement Plc across Africa.
Mr. Olayiwola expressed optimism that the graduates will create a chain of other graduates under them through apprenticeship, therefore bolstering the job status of communities around Kogi State.
General Manager, of Special Duties, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi said 10 women were selected each from Oyo, Iwaa, Apata, and Obajana, which makeup both the plant and the mining communities.
Mr. Adeyemi said the skill program was in partnership with the National Directorate for Employment(NDE).
On his part, NDE’s Kogi state Coordinator, Mr. Abubakar Zakari, said the participants received intensive training for three months, just as he congratulated the company for sponsoring what he referred to as a laudable program for women.
The traditional rulers of the various communities commended the company for what they described as a huge intervention.
His Royal Highness, the Olu-Apata, Oba Dr. Frederick D.O. Balogun, expressed appreciation and pledged his community’s continuing support for the company.
The Bajana of Obajana Idowu Isenibi said the “joy of the community knows no bound while urging beneficiaries to make judicious use of the skill acquired from the program.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Titilayo Onimola, 33, commended the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, while praying for God to continue to support him and make his businesses flourish.

Headlines
We’ve trained over 8,000 primary school teachers in Kano – PLANE

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria, PLANE, has revealed that it has trained over 8,000 primary school teachers in Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the PLANE’s State Team Lead, Malam Umar Lawan, revealed this during a presentation at the Kano State Quarterly Review Meeting Agenda, held in Kano on Tuesday.
Represented by State Reform Facilitator Umma Muhammad Rakana, the State Team Lead said the training was conducted in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB).


Umma Muhammad Rakana
He added that PLANE had coordinated book and other learning materials distribution at the classroom level across the 532 schools in Kano state.
He said the distribution was to ensure every child own learning materials.
According to him, PLANE had supported 35 school-based management committees that sensitized stakeholders on book care and maintenance, including parents, SBMC, PTA chairmen, LGEA staff, community leaders, religious leaders, and youth groups.
Some of them, according to him, supported the programme by donating 2 hectares of land in Kafinwachiwaya, Takai Local Government area for the construction of 2 classrooms, and 2 bundles of zinc sheets.
“There were also various cash donations for bricks, sand, bags of cement ement, and costs for construction was also donated.“PLANE also organized
Reading Festivals in Minjibir and Gabasawa LGAs to promote reading culture amongst pupils, received financial donations from stakeholders, and LGEAs agreed to make the festival an annual event.

Cross section of critical stakeholders at the event
In the presentation, Lawan suggested that more teachers need to be employed to bridge the gaps of inadequate teachers in some schools, especially hard-to-reach areas.
He also advised for provision of other learning materials like pencils and exercise books by parent, noting that “this will further improve teaching and learning and better learning outcome for pupils.

Cross section of critical stakeholders at the meeting
“More school support visit needs to be conducted to ensure lesson delivery by teachers,” he said.
He said the purpose of the meeting was to give update on key activities conducted in the PLANE programmes in the last quarter, adding that the review would look at successes and challenges in order to find the way forward.
Earlier in a remark, the Commissioner for Education, Haruna Doguwa represented by Malam Munzali Mustapha commended the stakeholders for the meeting, which according to him, it was crucial to education sector.

Malam Munzali Mustapha

Headlines
Gov. Yusuf assigns Head of Service to supervise SSG’s office

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Governor of Kano State Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has directed the Head of Civil Service Abdullahi Musa to supervise the office of the Secretary to the Kano State Government.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was contained in a statement issued by Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the spokesperson to the Governor in the early hours of Thursday.
The appointment was as a result of medical vacation taken by the SSG Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi who flew out of the country for medical treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor Shehu Wada Sagagi, the Head of Service is to provide a supervisory role pending the return of the SSG in the next few weeks.

Headlines
Gov. Yusuf promotes CPS to DG, appoints other heads of agencies

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has approved the elevation of his official spokesperson Mr. Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa from Chief Press Secretary to Director General, Media and Publicity.
KANO FOCUS reports that the elevation was contained in a statement issued by Aliyu Yusuf, Director Public Enlightenment, Kano State Government House, in the early hours of Thursday.
According to the statement the appointment is with immediate effect.
The statement also announced the appointment of other political office holders to occupy various positions as follows:

“Hon. Rabi’u Saleh Gwarzo, Permanent Commissioner I SUBEB , Engr. Sarki Ahmad, Director General, Rural Access and Mobility Project.
“Hon. Surajo Imam Dala, Director General, Cottage Trade and Street Hawking.
“Dr. Dahiru Saleh Muhammad, Executive Secretary, Science and Technical Schools Board.
“Abubakar Adamu Rano, Deputy Managing Director, Radio Kano
“Hajiya Hauwa Isah Ibrahim, Deputy Managing Director, ARTV.
“Dr. Gaddafi Sani Shehu, Deputy Managing Director, Kano Hydro Electricity Development Company (KHEDCO).”
While congratulating the new appointees, the Governor directed them to assume their new roles immediately.
