Headlines
Buhari commissions national tier IV data centre in Kano
Aminu Abdullahi
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Kano commissioned the National Tier IV Data Centre under the supervision of Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and Northwest regional office complex of Galaxy Backbone Limited.
KANO FOCUS reports that the President was in Kano for a one-day official visit where he commissioned several projects executed by the Federal and State governments and the private sector.
‘‘The Tier IV Data Centre is the highest anywhere in the world and this is the best Centre in the country and the first in Northern Nigeria’’ Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, told the President at the unveiling of the plaque to commemorate the formal inauguration.
Pantami added that the Datacentre, in the first stage, has a provision for storage of 2.2 petabytes and a possibility for expansion.
Pantami said the President has directed his Ministry to complete the Project as part of the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NIPTIP 2).
According to him NIPTIP 2 covers Nothern Nigeria and some Southern part of the country.
The Minister further said the North West Tier Four Data Centre is the first ever in the entire world with 99.999 percent reliability.
“The President came here today to implement the project and it is one of great achievement of his administration in ICT.
“The Data Centre is established under Galaxy Backbone Limited, which is the Federal Government owned Agency,” the minister stated.
Pantami pointed out that the Centre is another plus to both public and private sectors, stressing that ” you cannot be a knowledge based economy without having where to keep the data.
He further maintained that the Kano Data Centre will help in security reliability and functionality.
He further stated that the Centre will go a long way in supporting Nigeria to continue to consolidate Digital Economy noting the Centre will also support Nigeria to diversify economy as well as increasing Government revenue and job creation.
Professor Pantami explained that the Kano Galaxy Data Centre which started in March 2021 is 100 percent completed in March 2022.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Galaxy Backbone Limited Muhammad Bello Abubakar said the Kano Data Centre will contribute in the grow of the Nation GDP.
He said the Centre will bring more achievements and provide enabling environment for doing business.
He commended President Buhari and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami for his foresight and innovation towards ensuring Nigeria maintained its tempo in Digital space world wide.
While at Kano government house Buhari described ongoing infrastructure development across the country as ‘fantastic’, urging citizens to appreciate what they have as the situation in the country is not dire when compared with other countries.
‘‘We have a great country but we do not appreciate it until we visit our neighbors and other countries where the preoccupation is for people to have one good meal a day.
‘‘When I fly by helicopter, the number of high-rise buildings I see and the amount of development on the ground are fantastic. We thank God. We thank God. We thank God,’’ he said.
President Buhari urged the elites to encourage and inspire young people to embrace education, saying whether we like it or not we are going to leave the country for them.
‘‘They must embrace education for education’s sake. Technology has made it possible for short cuts but nothing can replace real learning. Please encourage the children to learn.
He congratulated Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State for doing very well on infrastructure, adding that his recent State visits to Kogi, Yobe, Lagos and Katsina have shown that the respective governors have done very well, within the confines of funds available to them.
On security, the President, who described Boko Haram as a fraudulent organization with links to international groups bent on destroying Nigeria, said his administration has succeeded in decimating the terror group, limiting their capacity to inflict harm.
Earlier, while paying homage to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, President Buhari urged Nigerians to respect traditional institutions and accord them the honour they deserve.
The President, who also inaugurated the Emir’s Council Chambers at the Palace, said of the traditional institution:
‘‘This system is good. It is good in the sense that our traditional institutions are respected and honoured.
‘‘It is very important that we have understood the politics and we are respecting people from the bottom to upwards and this is common sense because people matter.
‘‘What the children see now is what they will hope to be in the future and the older ones hope that they can make their influence felt and improve the governance in the country from bottom upwards.’’
He thanked the Emir of Kano for associating him with the success of the traditional institution, lauding him for the vast improvement in the lot of his people, since he ascended the throne three years ago.
The Emir of Kano, who underscored the importance of the visit, thanked President Buhari for granting approval to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the deadline for the phasing out of old currency notes, and by implication the implementation of the cashless policy.
‘‘This is an indication that the President is focused on alleviating the plight of the citizenry and indeed a listening leader,’’ he said.
The Royal Father expressed appreciation to the Federal and States Government for the developmental projects in the State as well as the support to the Emirate.
He added that the ongoing electioneering campaigns should serve as an opportunity for politicians to understand the challenges facing the people and devise a means to solving them.
He prayed for peaceful elections, as well as peace and prosperity of the country.
The President had commenced his visit to the State with the inauguration of Dala Inland Dry Port hosted by Kano State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government.
The Inland Dry Port Project was conceived as part of the Federal Government’s Ports Reform Programme designed to decongest the seaports, while also taking shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterland.
The President also inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA)-funded 10MW Haske Solar Plant in a 24-hectare land in Kumbotso Local Government of Kano State.
The plant, which links industrial customers to an additional power supply, represents a significant step towards efforts to provide clean, reliable, and sustainable energy for all Nigerians.
The 10MW plant is the largest completed solar plant in Nigeria and the first under the NSIA renewable energy platform.
President Buhari also commissioned the Family Homes Funds Estate, Darmanawa, Kano, which consists of 469 affordable housing units with ancillary infrastructure.
The inauguration is coming on the heels of the inauguration of the 2,600 Housing Estate on Potiskum road, Damaturu, Yobe State, a project executed by Family Homes in partnership with Yobe State Government.
On the Dala Inland Dry Port, the Minister of Transport, Mu’azu Sambo, recalled that in March 2006 the Federal Executive Council had granted approval for the establishment of this critical transport infrastructure at chosen locations across the country.
He said the infrastructure would undergo a concession to private sector operators on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) with a strategic framework to Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model.
‘‘Dala Inland Dry Port at Zawachiki in Kano State was among the six Inland Dry Ports approved and the concessioned went to Messrs Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited,’’ he said.
He stated that the dry port has been designated a Customs port with all the prerequisites of an international port including Customs, Immigration, Port Health Officials and Government security agencies.
He thanked Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State for his investments on infrastructural development particularly, road networks amongst others which has made the Dala Inland Dry Port a reality.
Reiterating that the Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP) is a Port of Origin and Final Destination, the Minister called on national and international maritime practitioners, shippers, shipping companies, landlocked countries and port users to take full advantage of this facility for import and export of their cargoes.
On the 10MW Haske Solar Plant, the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, described the solar plant as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s power generation, achieving the energy transition goal as well as increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix.
The Minister revealed that the construction of the Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant project is almost completed, while other power plants projects are at various stages of completion.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed that over 16,000 houses have been successfully built in the past 4 years by Family Homes Funds Limited, under the guidance of the Ministry.
She recalled that the Ministry together with the NSIA established Family Homes Funds Limited with a structured approach to address the housing deficiency issue in the country.
‘‘We had a vision to support your government’s housing agenda by ensuring we cater for the low-income earners of Nigeria by providing quality houses that are affordably priced,’’ she said.
According to the Minister, the agency now has a strong presence in all the six geopolitical zones and through its projects, created over 75,000 direct and indirect jobs.
‘‘There are completed and ongoing housing projects funded by Family Homes Funds in 12 states of the Federation and in the next two years, we intend to build additional affordable houses in all 36 states including the FCT,’’ she said.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Kano State Commissioner of Finance and renowned academic, Professor Kabiru Isa Dandago.
KANO FOCUS reports that the governor’s reaction was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano.
Governor Yusuf described the late Prof. Dandago as a dedicated public servant and accomplished scholar whose contributions to education and governance left lasting footprints in Kano State.
He noted that the former finance commissioner served the state with integrity and commitment and was widely respected for his professionalism, humility and passion for knowledge.
According to the governor, Kano State has lost a valuable son whose experience and wisdom greatly enriched both public service and the academic community.
Governor Yusuf extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, the academic community and the people of Kano State over what he described as an irreparable loss.
He prayed that Almighty Allah forgives the shortcomings of the late Prof. Dandago, grants him Aljannatul Firdaus and gives his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.
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.
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GATCOSA President, Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago is dead
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