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UNICEF asks Kano Govt to increase appropriation releases on education

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United Nations Children Education Find (UNICEF) has urged the Kano state government to increase appropriation release on education, adding that this would help in reducing out-of-school children bedeviling the state.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, made the appeal at a press conference marking this year’s International Day of Education in Kano on Friday.

 

UNICEF pointed out that the northwest region has the second-highest rates of children out of school, and the situation is worsened in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states, where even children who are enrolled in school are facing poor learning outcomes.

 

“There are currently about 10.2 million children at the primary level are out of school in Nigeria, 16 per cent of them are from Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, according to MICS 2021.

 

“Close to one million children are out of school in Kano state( 989,234); a total of 337,861 out of school children are in Jigawa, while Katsina state has 536,112 out of school children,” Farah said, adding that 32% of primary school going age children were out of school in Kano state.

 

He said: “While the spectre of Out of School Children (OOSC) is a major concern, the challenge is that even those children who have the opportunity to be enrolled in school are not having quality education.

 

“Only 1 out of 4 children in Nigeria, aged 7-14 years can read and understand a simple sentence or solve basic arithmetic, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2021) report.

 

“Across Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, this challenge is staggering: Tests conducted by the Federal Ministry of Education in 2022 found that Foundational Learning rates stand at 11 per cent or lower in the three states of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina.

 

“Although Kano figures appear better at 9.6% for reading proficiency, and 11.2% for numeracy, these figures are way lower than the national averages of 26% per cent for Reading proficiency and 25% for Numeracy respectively.”

 

The theme for the 2025 International Day of Education was given as: “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation.”

 

UNICEF said the 2025 IDE conference was organised to leverage the advocacy moment of the IDE to highlight the significance of education and its role in fostering a well-informed, inclusive, and peaceful society.

 

Farah mentioned inadequate funding of the education sector, dissruptive impact of climate change on learning as other challenges confronting education in the country, particularly in the north.

 

He said UNICEF was supporting basic education in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states through cash transfers, tree planting campaigns, enrollment drives, supply of learning materials, building of schools and improvement of teachers’ capacities among other interventions.

 

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Governor Yusuf swears in six commissioners, three advisers, 19 permanent secretaries

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has sworn in six newly appointed commissioners, three advisers and 19 permanent secretaries as part of efforts to strengthen governance and improve service delivery in the state.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that the ceremony followed the confirmation of the six commissioner nominees by the Kano State House of Assembly on October 26, 2026, after completing the legislative screening process.

 

The newly sworn-in commissioners are Air Commodore Salisu Yusha’u (retd.), assigned to the Ministry of Internal Security and Special Services; Ibrahim Namadi Dala, Investment; Prof. Sani Lawan Manunfashi, Higher Education; Muktar Ishaq Yakasai, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, Science and Technology; and Idris Garba Mustapha, Special Duties.

 

In a related development, the governor announced a minor cabinet reshuffle involving the redeployment of two commissioners to different ministries.

 

Under the new arrangement, Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, who previously served as Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, has been moved to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

 

Similarly, Hamza Kachaco has been redeployed to the Ministry of Environment.

 

The reshuffle leaves the Ministries of Information and Internal Affairs, as well as Solid Minerals and Mineral Resources, vacant pending further decisions by the state government.

 

According to a statement issued by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the appointments and redeployments are aimed at strengthening government institutions, improving administrative efficiency and repositioning key ministries for effective service delivery.

 

The governor urged the new appointees to demonstrate dedication, integrity and commitment to their responsibilities, stressing the need to prioritise public interest and contribute to the development of the state.

 

He also charged them to work collaboratively in advancing his administration’s development agenda and delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

 

Gov Yusuf congratulated the appointees and wished them success in their respective assignments.

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Kano Cabinet Reshuffle: Waiya Moves from Information to Youths and Sports Ministry

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Ibrahim Khalil

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has redeployed the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, to the Ministry of Youths and Sports as part of a cabinet reshuffle involving eight ministries.

KANO FOCUS reports that under the new arrangement, Waiya moves from the Ministry of Information to the Ministry of Youths and Sports, while Hon. Hamza Safyanu Kachako has been transferred from the Ministry of Mineral Resources to the Ministry of Environment.

The reshuffle also assigns new commissioners to several ministries.

Hon. Yushau Soja has been assigned to the Ministry of Internal Security, while Hon. Idris Garba Mustapha will oversee the Ministry of Special Duties.

Similarly, Hon. Muntari Ishaq Yakasai has been assigned to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and Hon. Ibrahim Namadi Dala will head the Ministry of Commerce.

Other appointments include Hon. Ibrahim Tsanyawa as Commissioner for Science and Technology and Prof. Sani Lawal as Commissioner for Higher Education.

The reshuffle affects eight ministries, with the changes involving both new portfolio assignments and the redeployment of serving commissioners.

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Albasu APC ieaders accuse council chairman, state assembly member of anti-party activities

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They accuse council chairman, state lawmaker of supporting opposition senatorial candidate

 

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Albasu Local Government Area of Kano State have petitioned Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the party’s State Working Committee over alleged anti-party activities involving the council chairman, Garba Aliyu Hungu, and the member representing Albasu Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Musa Tahir Hungu.

 

KANO FOCUS reports that the petitioners accused the two officials of maintaining political relationships with Kasim Ibrahim Bataiya, the New Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial candidate for Kano South, and allegedly working against the interests of the APC and its candidate, Senator Kawu Sumaila.

 

The petition, reportedly signed by more than 300 party officials and stakeholders across the wards and local government area, urged the governor and the party leadership to investigate the allegations and determine whether the conduct of the two officials violated the APC constitution.

 

According to the petitioners, the relationship between the officials and Bataiya predated their emergence as APC candidates, alleging that the NDC candidate had played a role in securing their previous political tickets.

 

They claimed that the relationship had continued despite their current political affiliations, raising concerns about their loyalty to the APC.

 

The petitioners further alleged that some elected councillors, political appointees and local government party officials had participated in activities organised by Bataiya, including attending his campaign rallies and mobilising support for his senatorial ambition.

 

One of the allegations was that the local government chairman provided the council’s town hall for political meetings and the launch of Bataiya’s senatorial campaign.

 

The stakeholders also accused the chairman and the lawmaker of frustrating efforts by party elders to investigate the alleged involvement of some APC councillors and executive committee members in the opposition candidate’s campaign activities.

 

They said a fact-finding committee was constituted under the leadership of Dr Yunusa Adamu Dangwani to examine the allegations but claimed that the two officials prevented it from carrying out its assignment.

 

The petitioners also alleged that the local government leadership failed to organise meetings with members of the APC legacy group despite what they described as directives from the governor and the party leadership.

 

They said one meeting was eventually held through the intervention of the member representing Albasu, Gaya and Ajingi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, but subsequent attempts to convene further meetings allegedly failed due to the chairman’s lack of commitment.

 

On the distribution of government empowerment programmes, the petitioners alleged that benefits intended for APC members and supporters were often diverted to individuals considered loyal to the NDC senatorial candidate.

 

They expressed concern that genuine APC members in the area were being marginalised and called for greater accountability in the distribution of government interventions.

 

The petition also cited the mobilisation of party members for the presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, alleging that while other local governments provided at least 30 buses for the exercise, Albasu provided only 17.

 

Another issue raised was the continued participation of the serving Amirul Hajj in NDC activities. The petitioners alleged that the individual had retired from public service about two years ago but had yet to be replaced by the local government leadership.

 

They argued that the alleged activities could undermine party discipline, unity and the APC’s electoral prospects in Albasu and the wider Kano South Senatorial District.

 

The stakeholders consequently urged Governor Yusuf, whom they described as the party leader in Kano State, and the State Working Committee to examine the allegations under Article 21 of the APC constitution and determine whether the conduct of the two officials amounts to punishable anti-party activities.

 

However, they called for a fair and impartial process, urging the party leadership to invite the accused officials to respond to the allegations before taking any disciplinary action.

 

The petitioners maintained that their action was intended to protect the party’s interests, promote accountability and strengthen its unity at the grassroots, rather than malign any individual or prejudge the outcome of an investigation.

 

The petition was signed by Hon. Adamu Abdu Fanda, Caucus Chairman; Hon. Wada Ibrahim Daho, Caucus Secretary; former Kano State House of Assembly member, Hon. Sunusi Usman Bataiya; Isyaka Danyaya, Albasu APC Deputy Chairman; and other local government and ward officials.

 

Efforts to contact Garba Aliyu Hungu and Musa Tahir Hungu for their reactions to the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

 

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