Headlines
Kano airlifts 6,179 Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia – official
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Director General of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Laminu Rabi’u Danbaffa has said that all the 6,179 registered intending pilgrims allocated to the state has been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.
KANO FOCUS reports that Danbaffa stated this while granting interview to journalists at Arafat in Muna on Tuesday.
According to Danbaffa, among all the 6,179 registered intending pilgrims, no one was left out, adding that they had all been to Madina and completed their visitations before proceeding to Makkah for the commencement of Hajj exercise.
He said all the Kano contingents had been moved to Mina from Makkah on Monday, adding that they are now currently observing Arafat rites at Arafat.
He noted that the feet was recorded despite the fact that they took over the operation midway from the immediate past Executive Secretary.
“Glory be to Almighty God, all our 6,179, intending pilgrims had been airlifted. No one missed Hajj and they all arrived in Madina before proceeding to Makkah. They were all moved to Mina and are now currently observing Hajj rites in Arafat.
“All Kano pilgrims are in healthy condition and we have not recorded any death incident. All our pilgrims, when they fall sick, they get medical attention quickly and effectively.
“We haven’t recorded any incident of duping against our pilgrims. They are orderly and obedient,” he said.
Danbaffa commended the state’s pilgrims Center Officers, who according to him, are up and doing in serving the pilgrims.
”Despite the fact that we took over the operation midway, we have recorded success but the success we have recorded has overwhelmed the challenges,” he said.
Also commenting the Chairman of the board, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal, in his part, said when they took over the operation, even though it was midway, they tried to see all the intending pilgrims were airlifted.
Hajj operation is not new to us. We have a know-how to it that is why, even as we met so many descripancies in the operation, we were not deterred from that. We continued to work until we achieved this success.
“We noticed the challenges. We will correct it in the next operation and where we need government intervention, we will intimate it to provide support to us.
“The support we have received from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano state, is what helped us recorded this success,” he said.
In his remark, the Chairman of the 2023 Hajj media team, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, commended the officials of the board for, despite inheriting challenges, were able to forge ahead and completed the operation successfully.
“The pilgrims from Kano were taken care of. We tried to make them feel at home and we achieved that. Any problem that arise, the DG is up and doing to solve it. He sometimes assigned me and the Chairman to tackle any issue that came up. We are happy and to sum it up, this year’s operation is a success,” he emphasized.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The government has introduced new guidelines for fee increment.
Kano State Government has prohibited private and voluntary schools from arbitrarily increasing fees and forcing parents to purchase materials directly from the schools.
KANO FOCUS reports that Executive Secretary of the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institution’s Board( KSPVIB,) Comrade Baba Abubakar Umar, gave the warning in an interview with journalists.
The Executive Secretary said that some schools have been taking advantage of parents through hidden charges and exorbitant fees.
He said to address this issue, the board has introduced new guidelines.
According to him, “Schools must convene a Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting to discuss any fee increments”.
He also stated that school must then write to the board seeking approval for the increase, attaching the attendance sheet from the PTA meeting.
He added that”At least two-thirds of parents must be present at the PTA meeting”
Comrade Abubakar dated that, the board has received complaints from parents who were charged excessive fees or amounts different from what was initially agreed upon.
He therefore disclosed that despite the current economic situation, schools must be realistic and fair in their charges.
“The board will work with relevant authorities to prosecute schools that operate illegally or evade taxes”
He however maintained that the board is committed to ensuring that schools provide safe learning environments and employ qualified teachers.
“Parents are encouraged to report any schools with substandard teaching or unsafe conditions”
Comrade Abubakar emphasised that, new census forms will be distributed to private and voluntary schools to ensure accurate data collection and effective monitoring. Saying that the board remains open to dialogue and discussions with schools willing to comply with the law.
He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his commitment to education, allocating 30% of the state’s budget to the sector and declaring a state of emergency.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported that two people have died and two others were injured following the collapse of a two-storey building in Noman’s Land, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the NEMA Coordinator, Kano Territorial Officer, Dr. Nuraddeen Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident on Thursday, said the agency received a distress call around 2:00 a.m. from a Good Samaritan about the building collapse.
Dr. Abdullahi stated, “The agency received a distress call today at about 2:00 a.m. from a Good Samaritan that a two-storey building collapsed in Noman’s Land Quarters, Kano.”
He further said, “Upon receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our rescue team to the scene.”
Dr. Abdullahi added, “Four persons were rescued by our team—a husband, wife, and two children. Unfortunately, the two children were confirmed dead, while the couple were rushed to the Armed Forces Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.”
The NEMA Coordinator also noted that search and rescue operations were still ongoing to find any persons trapped in the building.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano students from Kano are the top applicants of the student loan scheme, data from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has revealed.
KANO FOCUS reports that NELFUND, in a data chart posted via its official X handle, @nelfnigeria on Friday, highlighted the number of applicants per state of origin.
According to the data chart, students originally from Kano State topped the list of applicants with 17,122 applicants; Borno followed suit with 13,798 applicants while Benue had 11,754 applicants. The three states were the only states with over 11, 000 applicants.
The implementation of the student loan scheme is President Bola Tinubu’s flagship project in the education sector.
Barely a month after his inauguration as president, Tinubu signed the Access to Higher Education Act, which creates a legal framework for granting loans to indigent or low-income Nigerians to facilitate the payment of their fees in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The law, reenacted earlier this year, created the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
NELFUND is saddled with the responsibility of handling all loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery.
The fund, according to the act, is to be funded from multiple streams and will engage in other productive activities.
Kano govt cautions private schools against excessive fees
NEMA confirms 2 dead, others injured in building collapse
North not afraid of constitutional review – ACF BoT Chair
Kano indigenes top student loan applicants’ list
Dangote Industries Limited, again emerges as the most valuable brand in Nigeria for 7th time
Young entrepreneurs commence manufacturing of USB cable in Kano
Tinubu appoints Prof Abdullahi Pakistan chairman of Hajj Commission
Top Nigerian Leaders to Gather in Abuja for Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman’s Book Launch
Dangote clarifies stand on NNPC’s crude oil supply to refinery
