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Sardauna college holds maiden convocation, graduates 78 health professionals in Kano
Ibrahim Khalil
The Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology, Kano, on Saturday held its maiden convocation ceremony, graduating 78 students, with women accounting for about 80 per cent of the graduating class, a development stakeholders described as a significant milestone for healthcare delivery in northern Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the high number of female graduates would help address cultural concerns in the region, where many families are still uncomfortable with their wives, daughters and mothers being attended to by male medical personnel.
However, he noted that the northern region remains far behind in closing the gap in the number of female health practitioners, stressing the need for sustained investment in girls’ education and training in the health sector.
Alhaji Dalhatu also raised concern over the wider education crisis in the North, where he said an estimated 15 million children are currently out of school. He warned that failure to urgently tackle the problem could result in a generation that is largely unemployable, with serious consequences for regional and national development.
Also speaking, a renowned community leader and former public official, Dr. Goni Faruk Umar, has charged graduates of the Sardauna College of Health Sciences and Technology, Kano, to see their qualification not as a gateway to comfort but as a call to service and responsibility.
Dr. Umar who served as the Special Guest at the convocation ceremony described the institution as one established by vision and sustained by purpose, with a clear mandate to bridge gaps in healthcare delivery in Kano State, Nigeria and beyond.
According to him, nations do not rise by chance but on the shoulders of prepared and committed citizens, noting that the College was presenting to society a new generation of trained Community Health Extension Workers, Medical Laboratory Technologists and Public Health professionals equipped not only with certificates but with the capacity to save lives.
Addressing the graduands, Dr. Umar said they were entering a complex world challenged by disease, misinformation, poverty and fragile health systems, stressing that their knowledge, skills and compassion were now more critical than ever.
“Healthcare is not only about science; it is about humanity. It is not only about diagnosis; it is about dignity. It is not only about treatment; it is about trust,” he said.
He urged the graduates to allow empathy to guide their expertise and ethics to shape their ambition, reminding them that every patient represents a family, a future and a source of hope.
Dr. Umar commended the Provost, Academic Board, management and staff of the College for their commitment to excellence, noting that beyond teaching courses, they had contributed to character building, confidence and purpose, thereby strengthening the health security of the state and the nation.
He also acknowledged the sacrifices of parents and guardians, describing the convocation as a moment when years of prayers, support and perseverance had yielded visible results.
The guest speaker called on leaders and stakeholders to continue investing in health and educational institutions, stressing that a healthy nation is a productive nation and that a skilled health workforce remains the first line of defence for any society.
He further urged the graduates to leave the institution with values of service, professionalism and leadership, encouraging them to be problem-solvers, innovators, ethical and compassionate ambassadors of the College.
Dr. Umar expressed gratitude to the Governing Council and management of the College for naming one of its blocks after him, describing the honour as a reaffirmation of collective commitment to strengthening health education and human capacity development.
He dedicated the gesture to the ideals of service, integrity and impact, and pledged his continued support for the growth and excellence of the institution.
In her address, the Provost of the College, Hajiya Naja’atu Abdullahi, congratulated the graduating students and urged them to uphold integrity, empathy and a commitment to lifelong learning in their professional careers.
She highlighted the institution’s progress in expanding academic programmes, improving teaching and learning facilities, and strengthening clinical and industrial training partnerships to enhance the quality of its graduates.
The Provost also described the commissioning of the Dr. Goni Umar Faruk Administrative Building as a symbol of the college’s vision and commitment to sustainable development in healthcare education.
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Mansur Mudi Nagoda, said the state is facing enormous health challenges as its population continues to grow rapidly.
He projected that Kano State could record between 600,000 and 700,000 births in 2026 alone, while hospitals are currently grappling with a shortage of about 4,000 professional health workers.
Dr. Nagoda urged training institutions to place greater emphasis on practical and community-based training to ensure graduates are well prepared for service delivery. He further disclosed that plans were underway to absorb new graduates and deploy them to underserved areas, including Doguwa, Rogo and Sumaila Local Government Areas.
The maiden convocation was described by participants as a landmark achievement for the institution and a boost to efforts aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in Kano State and the wider northern region.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Imam Nura Garba Mato has urged Muslims to remain conscious of their actions, saying that divine reward and punishment often correspond to the nature of people’s deeds.
KANO FOCUS reports that the imam made the call while delivering a Friday sermon at Jami’u Ansar wal Muhajirun Jumaa Mosque, Cotton Ginnery Layout, Zawaciki, Kano State.
The sermon, titled “Al-Jazā’u Min Jinsil-‘Amal” (Recompense Is According to the Nature of Deeds), focused on the Islamic teaching that people’s actions have consequences and that good deeds attract divine reward.
Imam Mato said Allah had established enduring principles in human life that do not change, urging Muslims to understand these principles and allow them to guide their conduct.
He explained that one of these principles was that recompense corresponds to the nature of one’s actions, stressing the importance of living righteously and fulfilling one’s responsibilities to Allah and fellow human beings.
The imam called on Muslims to observe *taqwa* (consciousness of Allah), remain steadfast in their faith and follow the teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also highlighted the importance of helping people in difficulty, easing the burdens of others and showing compassion to fellow Muslims.
Quoting a prophetic tradition, the imam emphasised that whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship in this world will receive relief from Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He further explained that whoever conceals the faults of a fellow Muslim would receive Allah’s concealment of their faults on the Day of Resurrection, while those who make things easier for people in difficulty would receive Allah’s assistance in this world and the Hereafter.
The sermon also underscored the importance of supporting others, noting that a Muslim’s relationship with Allah should be reflected in their treatment of fellow human beings.
Imam Mato urged Muslims to reflect on their deeds and recognise that their conduct carries consequences, encouraging them to embrace good actions, assist those in need and uphold the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.
He stressed that Muslims should make righteousness, compassion and service to others central to their lives in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
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