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.
Ibrahim Khalil
Residents of Tsakuwa community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State have honoured 11 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the development of the town.
KANO FOCUS reports that the awards were presented during the 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, held on Sunday at Central Primary School, Tsakuwa.
Among those honoured were the traditional ruler of the community, Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa; the Chairman of the Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa; and a retired headmaster of Central Primary School, Tsakuwa, Alhaji Mahmuda Shehu, who continues to offer voluntary teaching services to pupils in the community.
Also recognised was Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe, a Nupe businessman who settled in Tsakuwa and has become an integral part of the community. He was honoured for his significant contributions to the town’s development.
Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe receiving a certificate
Other award recipients included the Chairman of the Northwest Development Commission, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji (Garkuwan Tsakuwa); the Commander of the Gombe State Hisbah Command, Malam Rabiu Idris; media practitioner Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation (ARTV); the founder of Tsakuwa Mufarka Sustainable Development Association, Malam Ibrahim Almustapha Sani; and Sulaiman Salisu Babah, among others.
Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan presenting a certificate to Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Speaking at the event, the Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa, commended the leadership of the association for its commitment to community development and urged members to sustain their efforts toward improving the welfare of residents.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the association, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa, said the non-partisan organisation had prioritised interventions in education, security, and healthcare.
He appealed to members of the community to sustain their monthly financial contributions to enable the association to continue implementing development projects.
Earlier, a member of the association, Malam Abdullahi Wagadi, disclosed that the group generated ₦6.56 million through members’ monthly contributions over the past year.
According to him, the association spent ₦3.84 million on allowances for volunteer teachers and vigilantes, ₦564,000 on fencing the Eid prayer ground, and ₦1.255 million on the renovation of the community police outpost.
He further stated that ₦356,000 was spent on supporting Tsakuwa Model Primary School, ₦430,000 on scholarships for students, ₦700,000 on instructional materials, and ₦50,000 on health assistance for vulnerable residents.
Association Raises Over ₦2.1 Million at AGM
A major highlight of the AGM was the fundraising session, during which the association raised ₦2.143 million from philanthropists and community stakeholders.
Leading the donations was Alhaji Umar Muhammad Banupe, who contributed ₦500,000. He was followed by Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki, who also donated ₦500,000, while Hon. Abdulmumin Tijjani, popularly known as Mai POS, donated ₦200,000.
Other donors included the Sarkin Tsakuwa, Alhaji Isma’ila Santali Tsakuwa, who donated ₦100,000; the association’s chairman, Alhaji Tasiu Alhassan Tsakuwa, ₦200,000; Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji Garkuwan Tsakuwa), ₦100,000; and Malam Rabiu Idris, who also contributed ₦100,000.
The event attracted community leaders, stakeholders, and residents who commended the association for its contributions to grassroots development and pledged continued support for its programmes.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Health journalists in Kano State have inaugurated a new professional body, the Kano Health Journalists Network (KAHJON), aimed at strengthening media reporting and advocacy on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and Primary Health Care (PHC).
KANO FOCUS reports that the network was launched during an Alignment, Coordination, Monitoring and Implementation meeting of media coalitions on gender-responsive RMNCAH and PHC, organised by the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) in Kano.
During the inauguration, journalists unanimously elected Khadijah Aliyu of Radio Nigeria as Chairperson of the newly established network.
Other members of the executive committee include Mustapha Hodi Adamu of People Daily Newspaper as Vice Chairperson, Abdullahi Hassan of ARTV as Secretary, and Mustapha Salisu of Prime Times as Public Relations Officer.
Speaking at the event, the Programme Director of ISMPH, Mr. Solomon Dogo, said the establishment of KAHJON would help unify existing health reporting groups and improve media coverage of critical public health issues, including polio eradication, nutrition, maternal health, and primary healthcare services.
He congratulated the newly elected executives and expressed confidence that the network would enhance collaboration among media practitioners while strengthening health advocacy efforts in the state.
Dogo noted that similar health journalists’ networks are already operating in Lagos and Kaduna states, adding that development partners remain committed to supporting initiatives that promote public health advocacy.
Also speaking, ISMPH Programme Officer in Kano, Hajiya Sabuwa Yahaya, said the platform would improve coordination among journalists, enhance access to health information, and strengthen evidence-based reporting on health issues.
According to her, the network will also provide a stronger platform for advocacy and engagement with government institutions, development partners, and local communities.
The inauguration ceremony attracted goodwill messages from several development partners, including the Integrated Budget and Policy (IBP), LISDEL, CCSI, SANDHEF, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
Representatives of the Kano State Ministry of Health, the Drug Management and Consumables Supply Agency, and the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency also attended the event.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which formally established the Kano Health Journalists Network and marked the beginning of a new chapter in health journalism and advocacy in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
A House of Representatives aspirant for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Mahmud Tijjani Kura, has withdrawn his candidature and defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that the development was disclosed on Saturday by a prominent APC chieftain, Alhaji Aliyu Lawan Dambatta, popularly known as Majidadin Dambatta.
According to Majidadin Dambatta, he led a delegation alongside the former aspirant to a meeting with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, during which Kura formally announced his decision to join the APC.
Majidadin Dambatta described the defection as a significant boost to the ruling party, noting that it would further strengthen the APC’s unity and political structure ahead of future elections.
He said the party remained committed to working collectively for the progress and development of Kano State and the country.
The APC stalwart welcomed Kura back into the party and expressed confidence that he would make meaningful contributions to its growth and the welfare of the people.
The defection is expected to add a new dimension to the political landscape in Kano State as parties continue to realign ahead of future electoral contests.
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