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ACF rewards Youth Innovators with cash prizes at Conference In Kano

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Kano state chapter has rewarded Youth innovators across the North who emerged as winners at a conference and exhibition held in Kano with cash prizes for their sterling ideas and inventions.

KANO FOCUS reports that the one-day conference was organized by the ACF Kano chapter in collaboration with Dangote Business School and Media Trust.

Announcing the winners at the end of the event the Chairman of the Kano State chapter of ACF, Dr Goni Umar, said the victors emerged after careful scrutiny of the innovation, creativity and novelty of products.

According to him, the aim of the conference was to ginger youths toward entrepreneurship development and draw support from leaders and investors to invest in their innovative ideas.

“The essence of this conference and exhibition is to ginger our youths in the North so that they can be more productive. Experts are going to discuss how our youths can be more productive.

“Secondly, the exhibitors normally when they exhibit their talents that is the end of it and nobody tries to assist them in developing the ideas in a factory for instance. So this conference aims to show our leaders how they can support the youths,” he said.

He urged the youths to be deliberate in learning and delay gratification while building business entities.

The state chairman told the youths to focus on learning and not spend their money on luxury while trying to build a business, stressing that they should learn to delay gratification and keep on learning new innovations to build on.

The chairman also stated that ACF is determined to contribute to addressing issues of poverty, economic deprivation and social exclusion that usually bred the insecurity bedevilling the North.

He said the programmes will empower the youths to be more productive in their lives, adding that youths must be employed or actively engaged in productive means, stressing that unemployment encouraged problems like the banditry currently afflicting the North.

The chairman also highlighted the need to have community police, as each community needs to defend itself and the government should approve of it.

During the event, experts from various walks of life observed that the North must address issues of unemployment and abject poverty through youth empowerment, innovation and improving their productive capacity.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Ibrahim Ida, Wazirin Katsina, commended the organisers of the conference, noting that the North can explore the approach to address abject poverty and create job opportunities as well as other societal vices.

Dr Ida decried that a large chunk of the poverty in Nigeria is said to be domiciled in the Northern region.

He lamented that “foreign direct investment in Northern Nigeria between 2019 and 2021 amounted to less than 100 million dollars while in the South the amount is put at 32 billion dollars.”

In his contribution at the conference, Wazirin Dutse, Alh. Bashir Dalhatu, challenged the ACF to raise the bar by walking the talk with practical actions, stressing that it should not be business as usual.

He decried that poverty is more prevalent in the North and people must get up to the challenge by doing what is expected of them individually and collectively for the solution.

“So many exhibitions have been held in the North but nothing came out of them. We should ensure that this one should be different,” he urged.

He appealed to the government and individuals to invest in the products and ideas that the youths exhibited, calling on the northern political leaders, especially governors, to learn from their southern counterparts.

In their separate remarks, the emirs of Kano and Bichi, Alh, Aminu Ado Bayero and Alh. Nasiru Ado Bayero submitted that for the North to reclaim its glory and overcome multiple challenges, youths must be supported to realize their potential.

The conference was subtheme into two sessions where Alh. Tajuddeen Dantata chaired the first session on “The North in a Dynamic World: Creating New Generation of Productive and Innovative Youths”, while Alh. Adamu Aliyu Kiyawa chaired the second session on “Building Elite Consensus on Income Diversification, Financial Inclusion and Wealth Creation in the North’.

At the end of the conference, it was announced that the chairman of Union Bank Board of Directors, Faruk Gumel, donated N1 million to the winner; N500,000 to the runner-up, and the third position N250,000 while other participants were given N50,000 each.

It was also announced that retired Gen. Halliru Akilu donated the sum of N200,000 to the fourth position while the 5th, 6th and 7th positions were given N150,000; N100,000 and N50,000 respectively.

Some of the innovative products exhibited during the conference included drone, aeroplane, incubator, and locally fabricated DNA testing machine among others.

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Breaking: Governor Yusuf Appoints Umar Farouk Ibrahim as Kano New SSG

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has appointed Umar Farouk Ibrahim as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Saturday.

Ibrahim’s appointment takes effect from Monday, February 10, 2025.

According to the statement, Ibrahim was selected based on his extensive experience and expertise, which are expected to play a vital role in advancing the administration’s development agenda and keeping the state on track with its goals.

Umar Farouk Ibrahim brings over three decades of distinguished public service to his new role.

His career in the civil service, spanning from 1987 to 2023, has been marked by key leadership positions that significantly contributed to the governance and administrative structure of Kano State.

From March 2001 to May 2015, Ibrahim served as the Permanent Secretary for Research, Evaluation, and Political Affairs in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

In this capacity, he was instrumental in analyzing key policy options, advising the government on viable alternatives, and overseeing the implementation of these policies across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Following this, from June 2015 to March 2016, Ibrahim held the position of Permanent Secretary for the Administration and General Services Directorate.

His tenure in this role showcased his strong leadership and administrative skills. Notably, he served as acting Secretary to the State Government during annual leaves in 2013 and 2014, underscoring the trust and confidence placed in him by the state leadership.

In addition to his formal roles, Ibrahim served as Secretary for several high-profile committees, including the Coordinating Committee on Independent Power (2012-2015), the Committee on the Identification and Sale of Government Property (GP Houses) in 2012, and the State Payroll Standing Committee (2000-2004).

His early career also saw him play pivotal roles in community and educational reforms, such as his position as Secretary of the Inter-Community/Religious Consultative Forum in 1998 and the Committee on the Review of the Operations of the Agency for Mass Education in 1994.

Mr. Ibrahim obtained a B.Sc. in Political Science from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University in 1985, followed by several professional certificates that further enriched his qualifications.

As a seasoned administrator and retired Permanent Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim is expected to bring a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight, and a commitment to excellence in his new role as SSG.

His appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the administrative framework of the current government and facilitate the effective execution of its policies and programs.

Governor Yusuf expressed confidence that Ibrahim’s appointment would significantly contribute to realizing his administration’s vision for Kano State, emphasizing the importance of experienced leadership in steering the state toward sustained development and growth.

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Gov. Yusuf reconstitutes consumer protection council, appoints Zangina Jafaru E.S

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved the composition of the Kano State Consumer Protection Council (KSCPC), to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers in the state.

KANO FOCUS reports that the newly constituted council comprises seasoned professionals, government officials, and business representatives to ensure fair trade practices and protect consumers from exploitation.

A statement by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa noted that the members of the council include Dr. Umar Garba Haruna, as chairman and Alhaji Zangina Jafaru serving as the executive secretary.

Alhaji Zangina Jafaru

Other key members of the council include Ibrahim Ahmad Gama (Member representing Kano Central), Hajiya Sadiya Umar Bichi (Member representing Kano North), Alhaji Hussaini Bello Gidado (Member representing Kano South) Alhaji Munzali Abubakar (Representative of business community I, Kantin Kwari Market), Ali Muhammad Adakawa (Representative of business community II, Kwanar Singa), Alhaji Ahmed Isah Chedi (Representative of business community III, Dawanau Market), and Sani Gambo (Representative of business community IV, Abubakar Rimi Market).

Others are Halima Yahuza Ahmad (Representative of the Ministry of Justice), Prof. Salisu Ibrahim Ahmad (Representative of the Ministry of Health), Aminu Gidado Yushe’u (Representative of Ministry of Environment), Bashir Shehu Gezawa (Representative of the Ministry for Local Government), Maryam Halilu Haruna, Director Special Duties, (Representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs), Bashir Uba, Director Investment, (Representative of the Ministry of Investment/Commerce), Faisal Mahmud (Representative of the Ministry of Transportation, Agency), Umar Zubairu (Representative of Special Service Directorate) and Shamsu Jibrin (Secretary/Legal Adviser.)

The Governor emphasised that the council’s primary mandate is to protect consumer rights and ensure that businesses operate under fair, transparent and lawful conditions.

He noted that the initiative aligns with the administration’s commitment to promoting good governance, market confidence and safeguarding the public from substandard products and unethical business practices.

The council members are expected to commence operations immediately, addressing consumer complaints, regulating trade practices, and fostering a healthy business environment across Kano State.

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Waiya decries poor Hausa advertisements by non-Hausa speakers

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

 

The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has expressed concern over the increasing trend of non-proficient Hausa speakers advertising products in the Hausa language in a manner that distorts the message and deviates from standard Hausa.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner made this statement while receiving a delegation from the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in his office.

 

He emphasized the need for advertisements in Hausa to be crafted by native speakers to ensure clarity and effective communication with the target audience.

 

“For an advert to be well understood, it is crucial that native Hausa speakers handle its production to prevent distortion and misinterpretation,” Comrade Waiya stressed.

 

Waiya reiterated his commitment to strengthening the capacity of Information Officers in the state by ensuring their registration with relevant professional bodies. This, he noted, would enhance their effectiveness and service delivery.

 

Earlier, the Director, Northern Region, ARCON, described the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria as the apex regulatory body overseeing advertising, marketing communications, and public communication practices in Nigeria.

 

He explained that ARCON operates under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation with a mandate to promote ethical advertising, act as the conscience of society in commercial communications, and protect consumer interests.

 

The Director commended the Kano State Government for its support of ARCON and urged the ministry to ensure that all Information Officers in the state are registered members of the council. He emphasized that such membership would significantly benefit the officers in carrying out their duties professionally.

 

 

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