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May 29: Gov. Ganduje’s Address

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Abdullahi-Umar-Ganduje

Address By His Excellency, The Governor Of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (OFR) During Celebrations To Mark One Year In Office Atcoronation Hall On The

29th May 2016

 

COURTESIES,

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the most Merciful. May the peace and blessings of Allah (SWT) be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his noble family and righteous companions.

I say to my people, the good people of this great state, Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Ta’ala wa Barakatuhu.

It gives me great pleasure to address you on this great occasion marking the first anniversary of the great Change brought about by our great Party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) under the stewardship of our President, Muhammadu Buhari.

You may recall on the 29th May, 2015, my Deputy and I were duly sworn into Office with a mandate to serve the people of this state on the basis of the pledges contained in our campaign manifesto for a better society nurtured by virtues of diligence, integrity, prudent, respect and honor. We campaigned on the promises that every child would have access to free and obligatory primary education and our youth would have access to gainful employment, social protection and healthcare.

Thus, the decision made by the citizenship of this state in voting us into power clearly signifies their need for change and the confidence they have on our ability to deliver on our promises. We are bent on delivering dividend of democracy through a better sense of direction, a structure of discipline and commitment for a secured and prosperous state. We want to make Kano state a functional and self-sustaining one through improved social services, boosting of agriculture, adequate water supply, provision of qualitative education, healthcare and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Within this period of one year, we can attest that we are living up to our promises.

Major Promises

A year ago, my inaugural speech promises the implementation of twelve fundamental policies:

  • The Completion of On-going Projects;

The administration will complete the on-going projects initiated by the previous administration(s) and produce a master plan for urban beautification to give Kano the real features of a mega-city;

  • Free and Compulsory Education;

Primary Education in Kano State will be free and compulsory.

 

  • Re-invigoration of the Civil service;

Effective service delivery will be provided and the procedure and standards provided by the SERVICOM charter will be applied.

 

  • Due Process Bureau and Anti-Corruption;

The Due Process Bureau will be established to institute due diligence and reform culture in the operation of government with a view to having zero tolerance on corruption.

 

  • Kano Master Plan;

The Kano Master Plan will be given impetus for the proper planning and implementation of infrastructures to a wholesale review to ease the flow of traffic and accessibility to many areas.

 

  • Housing;

Government will pursue a housing policy that will provide affordable housing to the low-income groups of the state.

 

  • Regional Water Scheme;

The existing Regional Water Supply Schemes will be expanded to cope with increasing demand of potable water in the urban and rural areas.

 

  • Agriculture;

Government will create the enabling environment for public and private partnership in the promotion of agricultural projects as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to come up with a lasting solution to the problem of nomads all over the country.

 

  • Local Government;

Kano State Government will strive hard to harmonize and re-invigorate Local Government Councils across the State to ensure that the dividends of democracy are consolidated at the grassroots level.

 

  • Health Services and War Against Drug Abuse;

Government will focus on the preventive approach to the healthcare delivery system, examine the policy of the State Health Insurance Scheme and intensify the War Against Drug Abuse among the youth.

 

  • Internally Generated Revenue;

The Kano State Board of Internal Revenue will be re-structured along the lines of best practices to ensure that only honest and responsible personnel are engaged in the new outfit for the maximum collection and remittance of state revenues.

 

  • Security;

The administration will establish a Security Trust Fund that will ensure the participation of the private sector for a robust policing of the State.

 

My fellow Kano people, I want to assure you that despite the numerous challenges especially with regard to impecuniosity of our State coffer, we have managed to make significant strides towards implementing our development agenda to ensure that Kano people enjoy the dividends of change. The Government of Kano is now fully operational and is boldly moving forward and breaking new grounds in ensuring improved service delivery to our people.

It is now one year since we took office and this occasion is set aside to provide a forum for some of us whom you elected into offices to come to you and report on how we have performed on the pledges we made to you. Therefore, on this occasion, I intend to briefly highlight the achievements we have so far recorded and the plans to further move our beloved State forward.

Ladies and Gentlemen, one of the first things we did when we came to office was the streamlining of State Ministries through reducing their numbers from 19 to 14 for effective service delivery and efficient utilization of resources. The bottom line is to ensure that the entire machinery of service delivery is enhanced to allow for repositioning governance into a resolute framework to serve the people prudently and transparently.

In addition to that, we established a SERVICOM Directorate under my supervision to make sure that citizens are satisfied with public service delivery. With this development, early morning surveillance of MDAs is vigorously pursued to ensure that staff punctuality, productivity espirit de corps are reawakened and sustained. The SERVICOM Directorate and Office of the Head of Civil Service jointly conduct the routine exercise.

In the same vein, we have introduced Promotion Examinations for Civil Servants from GL07 to GL15 with a view to entrenching the principle of merit based progression and provide an effective tool for performance appraisal. Already, the five (5) pilot MDAs have sat for the examination for January promotion based on which 70% passed, undertook interviews and the Staff had since been promoted.

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Notwithstanding the economic challenges afflicting the State, we have included the following staff into payroll:

  1. 1,857 newly recruited Teachers under KSSSMB with monthly salaries of N79,980,966.74 as well as approval for installment payment of arrears in the sum of N560,526,133.12;
  2. 874 and 1036 Health Personnel and Corporate Security Guards respectively with monthly salaries in the sum of N60,759,980.94 and N22,737,120.28 as well as approval for installment payment of arrears to the tune of N454,781,540.06,

 

  • Conversion of 1715 temporary staff under KSSSMB to Permanent and Pensionable status.

To make working environment conducive for work, this administration has renovated office premises at Audu Bako Secretariat, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Board of Internal Revenue, etc.

We have also completed arrangements to start operating Treasury Single Account (TSA), which is a public accounting system under which all government revenue, receipts and income are collected into one single account. This will block leakages within the Government parastatals through effective monitoring of incoming and outgoing government transactions for transparency and accountability.

You are also living witnesses that despite the economic challenges being faced by the Country as a result of drastic fall in oil revenue, which inhibit salary payments in many states across the nation, our administration endeavors to make prompt payment of salary and pension  at when due. I am happy to report that Civil Servants in the State are not being owed a single month salary.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this administration has in its effort to complement the dwindling monthly grant allocated to the state from the Federation Account reformed the State Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) for improved revenue generation. Part of the reform measures, we employed include the appointment of a new management that is made up of professional accountants and tax administrators/practitioners who have gathered a lot of experiences in both the public and private sectors as well as making their emoluments and other staff to be dependent on their monthly performance.

 

Fellow Kano people, one of the sectors I prioritized during my inaugural speech to you one year ago was Infrastructure. In that day, I stated that our administration would complete the on-going projects initiated by the previous administrations, such as – The Hydropower Projects, the Jakara Wuju-Wuju Road, Murtala Muhammad Way flyover and several other road projects. On this, we have fulfilled our promises. Most of the uncompleted projects are completed and commissioned or on the verge of completion. Those completed and commissioned are the Post Office Road, Dorawa Road, Gurin Gawa-Maidille Road, Niger Street, Lagos Street, Dorawa Road, Kofar Dawanau/Yantaya Road, Ahmadiyya Road and Kwankwaso Town Road network. There are those in progress, such as the continuation of Murtala Muhammed Bridge, Prince Abubakar Audu Underpass at Kofar Gadon Kaya, construction/dualization of Dakata-Bela Road Phase I, upgrading/dualization of Sheik Mahmud Salga Road, expansion/dualization of Zaria Road, Pediatric Hospital Zoo Road, Giginyu Specialist Hospital, etc.

This administration has also embarked on new projects, such as Dorayi-Panshekara-Madobi underpass, 2000 Lowcost Housing units at Gurjiya, Dawakin Kudu Local Govt Area, Kanti Kwari market Road network, Dakata-Bela Road Phase II, Kings Garden-Kwanar T/Wada-T/Murtala Road, Abdullah Bayero Road, Kwanar Dawanau-Dandishe-Kwanar Madugu Road Phase II, Court Road Sabon Gari, New Road Sabon Gari, Rumfa Shehu Road network Rijiyar Zaki, Gwaro-Dan suda Road, Gidan Boss-Katsina Road Fagge, Gurjiya-Yankatsari-Rijiyar Gwangwan Road, Ultra Modern Integrated Skills Acquisition Centre, etc.

In  addition, rehabilitation/reconstruction of some major roads were executed, such as Babban Kwari Badawa-Bala Barodo Road, Lamido Road, Lamido Terrace, Sultan Road, Kawo Road, Tiga-Rurum-Rano Road, Kwanar Zira-Zaura-Dungurawa Road, Mobile Police Barrack- CBN Quarters Road, Panshekara-Madobi Junction-Panshekara Town, etc.

In fact, it is not possible to mention the infrastructural projects either completed or under construction within this short address, however, I can state that the Government has within a span of a year expended N16,833,372,872.00 on such infrastructure development.

In our quest to achieve greatness and development across the board, we recently launched the Revised Kano State Development Plan (KSDPII). The development plan is an important policy and information document, which is going to help in moving Kano State to its desired destination.

The Revised Plan is a ten year, framework designed to envision for the State a path for its sustainable development with three years cost horizon (2016 – 2018). The framework seeks to understand the challenges impeding growth and development performance and the paths to addressing them. It highlights the State Government’s priorities for socio-economic development over the next ten years, sets appropriate goals and targets and proposes strategies that will ‘transform Kano State back to its leading role amongst States of the Federation in most spheres of human endeavor’

Our youth have a vital role to play in the development of the state, which we recognized. This administration has since inception implemented Youth Development and Empowerment strategies. Through this strategy, 100 youth are now receiving training on auto mechanics at the PAN Training Center, 500 were trained in Entrepreneurship Development Training for youth in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and 250 on ICT and communication skills under the Youth ICT Empowerment program as well as training over 100 youth in commercial sector development. Similarly, 150 youths were trained and empowered at the Leventis Agriculture Institute, Panda while 187 were graduated from the Kano Driving Institute. We have also initiated women empowerment through municipal solid waste management, which involves 500 women and 60 mini-truck disposals tagged “Kano Kal-Kal”. A dyeing cluster for our teeming youth has also been provided in Kwachiri, Fagge Local Government. Moreover, varieties of empowerment materials and working capital were distributed to 1,820 beneficiaries.

In addition, Government has also provided both annex site at Murtala Muhammed Library and the permanent site at Dawakin Tofa, which have been fully equipped with all the necessary facilities for the smooth conduct of this programme.  We intend to sponsor 6000 participants during the 3-year life span of the programme.

It is my believe that the program came at the right time when most of our teeming youth are in urgent need of support and training to be self-reliant and gainfully employed.

From the inception of the program, Kano State Government has sponsored a total of 1,250. In addition, of recent, 500 participants graduated and another batch of 495 participants as first and second batches respectively.

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The State Government has further supported the participants who completed their training by registering their Businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission and printing of their Business Plan to pave their way for any meaningful and sound business activities.

Furthermore, the Government has secured a loan of N2Billion from the CBN, which is currently under process for disbursement for the participants. Another facility is also being processed to develop Agricultural Enterprise under the Commercial Agricultural Scheme Program supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

On agriculture, this administration has recognized its direct bearing on the generality of our citizens because of its economic and social values. Our focus is to reinvigorate agricultural services through the resuscitation of KASCO and KNARDA for the provision of fertilizer, insecticides, improved seeds, adaptable farm implements, extension service, etc. To increase the productive capacity of farmers, this administration has made available improved seeds, soft loan of the sum of N100 million to wheat farmers. This is in addition to the distribution of 5000 water pump to all farmers, one Compact Sealing Machines at the sum of N100million, procurement of 2 Combined Harvesters at the sum of N20million, distribution of the 2015 wet season farming fertilizer worth N609,840,000.00 etc. For the first time in the history of the state 60 cattle rearers were sent overseas for training in Artificial Insemination at the sum of N51,777,000.00, etc.

The Health sector also achieved a modest success within the period under review on the provision of hospital equipment and other medical accessories at Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, etc. We also upgraded and renovated some health centers to General Hospitals, such as the Dawakin Tofa General Hospital. In addition, 146 patients with deafness were provided with hearing restoration aid, donation of Glucometers and drugs to 200 children with diabetes mellitus, distribution of crutches to persons with special needs, distribution of wheel chairs to health facilities, etc.

One of the sectors that attracted our immediate attention is the education sector. We released the sum of N876, 756,000 matching grant for UBE project. In addition, N1.2 billion was also released as counterpart funding for strategic development goals (SDGs) project for the year 2015-2016 specifically for the training and retraining of Basic Education teaching staff.

This administration is conscious of the magnitude of the problems of this important sector, and we are committed to exploring other available avenues to overcome them. This explains the setting up of State Education Promotion Coordination Committee and Local Education Promotion Coordination Committee with the responsibility for schools rehabilitation, provision of teaching and learning materials, quality assurance, ensuring staff and pupils discipline and adequate staffing in schools, etc. Already, the sum of N10 million was released to each of the 44 Local Government Committees amounting to N440 million. We are now seeing impact of this Committee that some of their projects are being commissioned, for example the complete renovation of Kurengen Sani Primary School, Kumbotso Local Government.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the provision of potable water to urban and rural dwellers in the State would continue to be given the priority it deserved. Within this year, we have completed the construction of 20 number of VIP latrine at Takai and madobi Local Governments, repairs of main cannels at thomas, Makoda Local Government, Garun Mallam Water Supply Scheme (N135,000,000),etc. While there are ongoing projects on water supply, such as, the rehabilitation of 100 broken down hand pumps borehole, construction of 463 Hand Pumps Boreholes, construction of 220 Hand Pumps Borehole in collaboration with the UNDP, rehabilitation of Bagauda Dam, etc.

As part of our commitment to complete all projects inherited for improved water supply across the State, all ductile pipes imported would be laid within this year. With this, most areas lacking potable water would have regular supply.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, a lot has been achieved in the education sector this year. We have continued with the construction work at the permanent site of Northwest University in order to complete the construction of lecture halls and laboratories to meet the accreditation requirements of the university.  Progress has been made for the completion of all the capital projects at Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil.

In sustaining our efforts on human capital development, this administration has continued paying the tuition and upkeep fees for both foreign and domestic students across various institutions within and outside Nigeria.

Distinguished Kano people, from the highlights of these achievements, one should conclude that the accomplishments so far attained by this administration within the span of a year is quite enormous. However, as devout Muslims, we are quite aware that it is not single handedly our making but that of the God Almighty without Whose Grace we could not achieve a fraction of it. Therefore, we thank Him for the opportunity he accorded us to serve His servants.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I won’t end this address without expressing my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to the Members of the State Assembly for cooperation they always accord to this administration and above all for conducting their oversight role in such a professional and nonpartisan manner witnessed in very few other States.

Due to their commitment to the oath they took to diligently serve the people of Kano State, we have succeeded in channeling most of our energies to development matters of the State. I believe that this attitude will continue to prevail as we now move into more aggressively implementing our development plan.

Let me at this juncture, reassure the good people of Kano State that our Government will continue to do its best to meet the developmental needs of all the people in the State within limits of the resources at its disposal.

I, therefore, urge all and sundry to bear in mind that this journey to rapid and sustainable development requires patience, perseverance, patriotism, determination, sacrifice and collective will to succeed.

Thank you for your kind attention and God bless you all.

Wassalamu Alaikum

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