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
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Ibrahim Khalil
Government Secondary School (GSS) Army Day Bukavu has emerged champion in both the male and female categories of the maiden Kano State Secondary Schools Tug of War Competition.
KANO FOCUS reports that the school clinched the double victory at the competition, which ended on Wednesday at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari, Kano.
Governors College finished as runners-up in the male category, while Government Girls College (GGC) Kano secured second position in the female category.
The competition was organised by the Kano State Tug of War Association in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Kano State Sports Commission.
The maiden championship brought together secondary school students to promote teamwork, discipline, unity and sportsmanship, while raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Jamilu Uba Adamu, described the competition as a successful initiative that had achieved its objectives.
He commended the Ministry of Education, Sports Commission, NDLEA, Gongoni Company Limited and MAGZO Pharmaceutical for supporting the event, particularly through the provision of T-shirts and Pocari Sweat drinks.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Kano State Tug of War Association, Bashir Muhammad Sulaiman, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to developing grassroots and school sports.
He said the initiative would help identify and nurture young sporting talents across the state.
The closing ceremony was attended by a member of the Kano State Football Association Board, Rilwanu Idris Malikawa Garu, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NDLEA, the Sports Commission and other stakeholders in the sports sector.
The organisers congratulated the winning schools and commended all participating institutions and partners for contributing to the success of the maiden edition.
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