Headlines
2023 Hajj: Kano Pilgrims Board round off return airlift, Chairman commends Gov Yusuf
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has completed the 2023 hajj exercise with the return of its last set of contingents from Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Yusuf Lawan made the declaration on Sunday at the Malam Aminu Kano International airport on arrival from the King AbdulAziz International airport Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Alhaji Yusuf Lawan
Alhaji Yusuf Lawan revealed that with this final flight, the Board has returned all the Kano contingent that participated in this year’s pilgrimage.
He explained that the entire contingent have exhibited maturity and good conduct throughout the exercise.
The Executive chairman has attributed the success achieved in this year’s Hajj to the overwhelming support and leadership direction given to the Board by the state governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Pilgrims descending from aeroplane
He said the former board and previous government messed up a lot of things that would have jeopardised the chances of Kano State’s pilgrims in performing the just-concluded 2023 Hajj exercise if not for intervention and the commitment of Governor Yusuf in providing purposeful leadership for the people of State.
Lawan said If not for the quick intervention of Governor Yusuf, there wouldn’t have been any leeway in the Hajj operation.
According to him, Kano State was allocated 6,105 seats for the 2023 Hajj but the previous board sold additional 191 unavailable slots to intending pilgrims and their money could not be found anywhere.
Pilgrims descending from aeroplane
“Kano State has always been number one or two in Hajj management but things went badly in recent years and the previous board messed up a lot of things.
“We came on the 1st of June as a new board and we didn’t see the former executive secretary to brief us until four days later. So, we didn’t know where to start from because there was no information but we used our experience to call some of the directors even though they were involved in day-to-day running affairs of Hajj.
“From available information, Kano State was allocated 6,105 seats for this year’s Hajj, but we discovered that additional 191 seats were sold to people and we were shocked at how they sold out such unavailable seats to people. But we organised ourselves to look at the visa processing and those we can fix, we fixed them,” Lawan stated.
Alhaji Lawan added: “Another challenge along the way was Hajj camps, in fact it was like a war zone. There were large warehouses within the camp where pilgrims’ luggage are kept on arrival and there were also about 100 houses that used to serve as accommodation for pilgrims when they were screened and waiting for departure to the holy land. But all the houses, including Juma’a Mosque and toilets were demolished by the previous government and distributed the land to individuals. Only 12 toilets out of 55 were left behind. So, even if you are taking just 100 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj, will 12 toilets be enough to serve 100 pilgrims while in the camp waiting for departure time, let alone 550 pilgrims.
“Even the main gate where pilgrims used to pass after screening to go to the airport was completely blocked and at that time, our first set of pilgrims were scheduled to move to Madinah the next three days. But with good intention, Allah gave us the way through and when I went to see the Governor and told him that, Your Excellency, there is a need for you to find time to visit Hajj camp either tomorrow or after, but with compassion he said, ‘we’re going now’.
“We went there and he immediately advised the individuals who the land was allocated to and were busy developing it as if there was no government to stop. He then assured us that he will do everything humanly possible within 24 hours to at least make the camp habitable. In the middle of night, he was there with some officials up till early morning, some good Samaritans also came to help and within 24 hours later like the Governor promised, the Hajj camp changed completely.
“We screened the pilgrims and asked His Excellency to come to the Airport and say good bye to the pilgrims, Alhamdulillah, the airlines were very generous to us and within the space of eight days, we were able to airlift all our pilgrims, 6100, to the holy land.
“In the last eight years, Kano State has not transported even 4,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, I think it was only in 2019 before COVID-19 that they had up to 4,000 pilgrims, and last year they came to Saudi Arabia with just 1,700 pilgrims, but, still, a lot of pilgrims were left behind at home.
“So, NAHCON was so surprised and they were asking us how we did it. It was a miracle, but with the support of Allah and leadership direction provided by His Excellency, we were able to surmount the challenges.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has sacked the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, along with five commissioners, and scrapped the office of the Chief of Staff.
KANO FOCUS reports that those removed include the Commissioner for Information, Halilu Baba Dantiye; Ibrahim Jibril Fagge of the Finance Ministry; Ladidi Ibrahim Garko of Culture and Tourism; Shehu Aliyu Karaye of Special Duties; and Abbas Sani Abbas of Rural and Community Development.
In a major cabinet reshuffle announced in a statement by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, Governor Yusuf reassigned the portfolios of seven commissioners, including the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, who was moved from Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to the Ministry of Higher Education.
According to the statement, Governor Yusuf said the reshuffle of the state executive council is meant to effect a pragmatic political realignment of his administration.
Those who retained their positions include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi; Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud; Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran; Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Hon. Abduljabbar Mohammed Umar; Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Musa Suleiman Shannon; and Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr. Marwan Ahmad.
Also retained are the Commissioner for Solid and Mineral Resources, Sefianu Hamza; Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Auwal; Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso; Commissioner for Investment and Commerce, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and Commissioner for Internal Security and Special Services, Major General Mohammad Inuwa Idris (Rtd).
According to the statement, those reassigned include Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, who is moved from the Ministry of Local Government to Higher Education; Hon. Mohammad Tajo Usman, who moved from Science and Technology to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; and Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim K/Mata, from Higher Education to Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Others reassigned include Hon. Amina Abdullahi, who moved from Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation to the Ministry for Women, Children, and Disabled; Hon. Nasiru Sule Garo, from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to the Ministry of Special Duties.
Hon. Ibrahim Namadi, Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, is now moved to the Ministry of Transport, while Hon. Haruna Doguwa of the Ministry of Education is moved to the Ministry of Water Resources. On the reassigned list are Hon. Ali Haruna Makoda, moved from Water Resources to the Ministry of Education; Hon. Aisha Lawal Saji, from the Ministry of Women, Children, and Disabled to Tourism; and Hon. Muhammad Diggol, from Transport to the Ministry of Project Monitoring and Evaluation.
Meanwhile, Governor Yusuf has dropped five members of his cabinet, including Ibrahim Jibril Fagge of the Finance Ministry; Ladidi Ibrahim Garko of Culture and Tourism; Baba Halilu Dantiye of Information; Shehu Aliyu Karaye of Special Duties; and Abbas Sani Abbas of Rural and Community Development.
Additionally, the Governor has directed the Chief of Staff and the five commissioners who have been dropped to report to the Governor’s office for possible reassignment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, formally received the accreditation report for the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education programs on Wednesday.
KANO FOCUS reports that the report was presented by the accreditation team from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The team, led by Professor Bashir Maina of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, commended BUK for its substantial investment in e-library resources, which significantly enhance learning and research for both staff and students.
Professor Maina also praised the university’s impressive achievements in the development of physical infrastructure.
In his remarks, Professor Abbas expressed appreciation for the accreditation team’s visit, emphasizing the importance of such evaluations in fostering continuous improvement across all aspects of the university’s operations.
He reaffirmed BUK’s commitment to upholding quality and standards in all its programs, aligning them with global best practices.
The Vice Chancellor assured the team that their recommendations would be addressed promptly.
Other members of the accreditation team included Professor Amos Isiaka Gambari from Federal University, Minna; Professor Markus Zira Kamkwis from Adamawa State University, Mubi; and NUC representative, Nuruddeen Musa Umar.
Headlines
Post Harvest Loss: Kano Partners Aviation Industry to Advance Export of Agricultural Produces
Kano state government has expressed readiness to partner with aviation companies under the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to boost agribusiness through cargo export of perishable produces from Kano to neighboring states, African countries and europe.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf gave the commitment when he hosted delegation of cargo management services from Federal Airpoet Authority (FAAN) at the government on Wednesday.
A statement by Governor’s spokesperson Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa disclosed that Governor Yusuf who was delighted to collaborate with the cargo transportation of farm produces from Kano believed the initiative would encourage production level.
Yusuf, represented by the chief of staff, Alhaji Shehu Wada Sagagi, said the new development scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025 will reduce post harvest loss which accounted for over 35 per cent of total proceed of produce.
The Governor assured the aviation industry players that his administration was prepared to advance the new mode of transporting agro-products to neighboring southern states and outside the country which would drastically reduce security and other risk on movement of produce through road transport.
Earlier, General Manager, General Cargo Service, FAAN, Mrs Alao Mamman Rekiya said the visit to the government intended to seek areas of corporation and synergy in the introduction of cargo export of farm produces from Kano to states in Nigeria and beyond.
Rekiya added that the Federal government’s initiative in the aviation sector was part of overall renewed agenda on diversification of revenue generation through cargo export.
She emphasized that with provision of cargo export of vegetables and other perishable produces from Kano, the Federal government is encouraging the farmers to improve on quality production and open up the state for economic viability.
She urged the state government to take advantage of the new down to create job opportunities in aviation ecosystem and reduce annual wastage on postharvest lose in the sector.
The team agreed to form an inter-agency committee on the project to explore its potentials for the economic prosperity of the commercial state.
AGILE launches ‘second chance’ learning centers in Gwarzo
Gov Yusuf reshuffles cabinet, sacks SSG, chief of staff
VC BUK receives accreditation report for early childhood, primary education programmes
Post Harvest Loss: Kano Partners Aviation Industry to Advance Export of Agricultural Produces
Gov. Yusuf Appoints Leaders for Civil Service, Sharia, and Zakkat Commissions
Ulama Forum faults Tax Reform Bills, backs northern governors
GovernorYusuf, deputy, Grace Turbanning of New Chiroman Kano
Rep member Tijjani advocates for homeschooling to address educational challenges
Friday Sermon: Encouraging Islamic Education Reduces Crime In The Society!
