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Government is Boosting Education to Transform Nigeria – Dr Suwaiba Said
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revitalizing the education sector as part of efforts to transform the country for greatness.
Speaking today at the opening ceremony of the 7th Education for Sustainable Development Conference organized by the Bayero University’s Centre for Gender Studies at the Convocation Arena, the Minister emphasized the crucial role education plays in national growth and development, and reassured Nigerians that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is genuine and not just a political gimmick.
The Minister’s speech has rekindled hope among Nigerians that the government is committed to transforming the education sector and improving the lives of citizens
Dr Suwaiba explained that the federal government’s commitment to revitalizing tertiary institutions aimed at not only to serve as centers of learning but as well as hubs of innovation and change. “Education goes beyond acquiring knowledge; it is about shaping minds to create a sustainable future.”
The ESD Program at CGS she said, had amplifies government’s commitment to this vision. She noted that by integrating sustainability into educational curricula, “we are preparing our students to tackle the pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, poverty, and inequality among others”.
The minister disclosed that Youth are central to this administration. Aligned with President Bola Ahmad Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, government therefore welcome and prioritize such initiatives. “As the Minister of state for Education, I am committed to supporting the ESD Program and ensuring that our educational institutions are not just centers of learning but also hubs of innovation and change. This means investing in infrastructure, providing quality teaching materials, and fostering an environment where students can thrive,” she assured.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas in a welcome address he commended the centre for organising the conference describing it as timely and apt.
He said university has established the centre as part of the deliberate effort to promote societal growth and development and thank them for keeping to the mission and vision. Professor Abbas said the Management is always ready to support the activities of the Centre.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Salisu Shehu who is the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council said poor leadership is the bane of the country’s development. He charged leaders to be honest and transparent in all their undertakings
In his address, the Chairman of BUK Governing Council, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna reaffirmed the need for leaders to ensure probity and accountability. He said Nigeria is a blessed country with potentiality to prosper if its resources could be judiciously utilized.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Gender Studies Ambassador Dr Safiya Nuhu Ahmed revealed that since 2017, Bayero University Kano has been organizing the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) program, in collaboration with various stakeholders and partners. The ESD program has empowered more than 270 students from more than 20 tertiary institutions.
She said the program’s vision is to equip students with knowledge and skills around the SDGs, to advance the actualization of sustainable development. ESD Ambassadors thus become the bridges through which sustainable development prospects could be achieved. Commendably, BUK has been the pioneer University in Nigeria to train students annually on ‘ESD’, and to institute a mentorship program for the ambassadors’ progressive growth.
“The project essentially targets reducing inequalities between sexes, and age groups by giving skills that equip youth to feel powerful and confident to execute project that alleviate poverty, enhance food security and lead to sustained growth and development.” she declared.
Dr Safiya also hinted that the Project centers the participants’ activities within their environment, which is increasingly threatened by climate change, and integrates climate response into students learning and experience base (SDGs 1,2,10,13 and 17). The project integrates innovative techniques in grooming youth to understand the opportunities presented under the SDGs, and work towards eradicating poverty, ensuring food security and integrating women’s concerns in every development space. It presumes that if youth are trained to be passionate about the wide range of SDGs including SDG 5, gender mainstreaming will be a natural part of their decisions and policies, thus doing away with the need to lobby policy makers and leaders on integrate women’s issues and concerns and give them spaces to have a role in governance, development and other spheres.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has awarded contracts worth over ₦23.1 billion for the construction of 49 new junior and senior secondary schools across the state’s 44 local government areas under the AGILE Project.
KANO FOCUS reports that the development, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, is aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure and improving access to quality education across the state.
The contract signing ceremony was held on Friday, where contractors received official approval documents to commence work on the projects in their respective locations.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Information, Ibrahim Adam.
According to the statement, the schools to be constructed under the AGILE Project comprise both Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), strategically distributed across the state to address infrastructural deficits in the education sector.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, reiterated the administration’s commitment to revitalising the education sector and creating a conducive learning environment for students.
He said the initiative would significantly reduce classroom congestion, expand access to education, and improve teaching and learning conditions in schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the AGILE Project is part of broader efforts by the Kano State Government to enhance educational development, particularly in improving infrastructure and supporting increased school enrollment and retention.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Society for Family Health has appointed Dayyabu Mahmud Yusuf as Group Director, Impact Partnership and Engagement, as well as Managing Director of RevoHealth HMO Ltd., in a move aimed at strengthening healthcare access and sustainable health systems across Nigeria and Africa.
KANO FOCUS reports that the appointment was announced on the organisation’s official Facebook page on Saturday.
According to SFH, the new leadership appointment signals the beginning of a fresh phase focused on improving impact, expanding access to healthcare services, and advancing sustainable health transformation initiatives across the continent.
The organisation stated that the appointment reflects its commitment to building integrated health systems and promoting innovative platforms in healthcare financing, workforce development, advisory services, and sustainable health interventions.
SFH expressed confidence that Yusuf’s leadership would further strengthen the organisation’s impact and deliver lasting value to communities across Nigeria and beyond.
Yusuf is a seasoned public health professional with more than 18 years of experience in the design and implementation of public health, social marketing, and health systems strengthening programmes in Nigeria.
He is widely recognised as a health systems expert, health economist, programme management specialist, and community engagement practitioner, with extensive experience in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), HIV/AIDS, malaria, child survival, and nutrition interventions.
He has also built strong technical expertise across the family planning and maternal, newborn and child health continuum, while leading large and complex teams on multiple development programmes.
Yusuf possesses strong advocacy and stakeholder engagement skills, having worked closely with senior government officials, lawmakers, and influential traditional and religious leaders to drive institutional and behavioural changes that support effective programme implementation.
A seasoned trainer, Yusuf has trained various cadres of health professionals and is known for his practical expertise in participatory community engagement approaches.
He holds a degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in Health Economics from Bayero University Kano, as well as an MSc in Microbiology from University of Abuja.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
A former Governor of Kano State Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has commended the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, for ordering a fresh investigation into the disappearance of activist and lecturer Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso made the remarks in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday following recent testimony by a former aide to an ex-state governor, who allegedly claimed that police officers were responsible for Dadiyata’s disappearance in Kaduna.
Dadiyata, a lecturer and social media commentator, was abducted in 2019, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
According to Kwankwaso, he and his associates have consistently advocated for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
He described the Inspector-General’s directive for a comprehensive investigation as a “decisive and long-overdue action,” expressing hope that the process would uncover the truth behind the disappearance.
The former governor also urged police authorities to place individuals named in the allegations under close surveillance to prevent interference with the investigation.
Kwankwaso further called on the government to ensure that Dadiyata, if found alive, and his family receive adequate compensation for the trauma and hardship they have endured over the years.
He commended members of the public for sustaining advocacy efforts on the case and also praised Abba Hikima Fagge for what he described as his important role in the latest developments surrounding the investigation.
Kwankwaso expressed optimism that the renewed probe would ultimately deliver truth and justice in the case.
AGILE Project: Kano awards ₦23.1bn contract for construction of 49 new secondary schools
SFH appoints Dayyabu Yusuf to lead strategic health partnerships, RevoHealth HMO
Kwankwaso commends IGP over probe into Dadiyata’s disappearance
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