I welcome you all with humility and gratitude to
the very first Town Hall meeting we are hosting as
a government. It is not yet one month since we
were sworn-in, but to the extent that it has pleased
Allah to bestow His grace upon us, we have set
about doing the work of change that you mandated
us to do.
During the campaign, we promised that we shall
be engaging and interacting with the public
regularly. We pledged that we will provide you
regular updates and listen to your feedback,
including criticisms and suggestions. Here we are
before you today to do as we pledged. As we have
started, so we intend to continue, always striving
to get better at achieving results.
Immediately after we were sworn-in on 29 May
2015, we reported for duty with the sense of
urgency that you demanded. As we expected, we
met a state that is broke, and whose schools,
hospitals and roads are in poor shape. We knew
that a lot of sacrifice will be required to restore the
state to good health. This government’s priority is
actually growth and development in a safe and
secure environment; because we understand that
the things that matter are the public goods of
quality schools, decent hospitals and good roads;
we know that leaders must pursue the creation of a
climate that promotes security, social harmony and
is therefore conducive to bringing jobs and
economic opportunity. Thus our first step was to
announce that the deputy-governor and I will be
taking a 50% pay cut.
As we took briefings from the ministries,
departments and agencies in our very first week,
the depth of the financial problem became clearer
to us as well as the impact the decades of
impunity have had on the mental attitudes of the
institutions that constitute the public service. As
one astute observer of the situation commented
recently, the public service does not serve the
public; rather it considers itself as the public and
thus serves only itself.
We emphatically reject this mentality. The new
government of Kaduna State has therefore declared
that the resources of the state will be devoted to
serving the public, with schools, hospitals and
roads; aiding our farmers and doing our utmost to
create jobs. To do that, we must cut the cost of
running government. Ours will no longer be the
state that has too little left for the needs of the
majority of the people.
That is our guiding principle as we reduce costs.
And we have taken concrete action in this regard.
We have restructured our ministries from 19 to 13.
We have also decided that we will have only 13
commissioners, ten special advisers and 12
special assistants. You all remember that the
previous government had 24 commissioners, 41
special advisers and about 400 special assistants.
But good governance is not about recruiting vast
numbers of political appointees. It is about the
smallest number that can provide the quality of
service that is required.
We are saddened by the condition in which we
found the state. But we shall never use that as an
excuse for non-performance. It is our duty to do
our best always. That is why we are finding
creative even if difficult ways to deliver on our
promises.
What we have done
In our first month, we have done the following
things:
Governance Reforms
Prioritising the People: We have made clear our
intention to devote a larger chunk of the state’s
resources to providing public services. We have
signalled that a government elected by majority
vote should serve the majority.
Pay cut: the governor and the deputy governor
have taken a voluntary pay cut of 50%, and we
have urged other political official holders, elected
or appointed, to follow this example.
Cost-cutting: ministries have been reduced from
19 to 13; while your government has committed to
appointing only 13 commissioners and the handful
of needed special advisers and special assistants.
The selection of the Commissioners, Advisers and
Assistants will be based on merit, capacity and
experience because what is priority to us is getting
the necessary skill sets that will facilitate moving
the State forward.
Biometric verification: Our government is already
conducting biometric verification of its employees
in order to update the payroll and provide reliable
data as to the precise number of personnel in the
public service. Two of Nigeria’s leading banks,
UBA and Zenith, are working with us on this
project.
Tax Reform Committee: We have set up a
committee chaired by Ifueko Omogui, former
chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, to
review our internal revenue generation structures,
systems and laws. The committee will recommend
ways by which we can improve our internally
generated revenue. This will reduce our
dependency on the federal government. We will be
masters of our own fate.
Transparency: We have signed up to Open Budget,
a tool that enables you to track what we are doing
with your money.
Health
Your government has already convened a summit
of Kaduna State Healthcare partners to set out the
state’s priorities in the Health Sector, and to also
ensure that all funds in the health sector are
streamlined to ensure an effective coordinated
service delivery. The donor community and
multilateral agencies attended, along with
businesses that are active in the state’s health
sector.
Kaduna State has signed an Memorandum of
Understanding with General Electric Healthcare to
modernise our primary health centers and public
hospitals. Both parties have committed to
identifying the specific needs of the centers and
hospitals, so that modern equipment can be
installed to improve the diagnosis and
management of patients.
We have signed the 2015 Kaduna State-UNICEF
2015 workplan. The state government is ready with
its counterpart funding for the agreed initiatives in
healthcare, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, water, sanitation
and child protection.
Installation of two dialysis machines and the repair
of three dialysis equipment at Barau Dikko
Hospital. Arrangements are being made to
purchase consumables for the next 12 months so
that dialysis will be affordable to Kaduna citizens.
Security
Peace Committee: A committee, chaired by the
respected General Martin Agwai, is working to
identify the causes of conflict and insecurity in
Southern Kaduna and thereafter recommend ways
of tackling the problem.
Interstate cooperation: Kaduna State is working
with Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger States to
design a collective approach to common security
challenges in the forest ranges that strides our
respective States. A meeting is being held today
with the respective State Governors and Security
Agencies to advance the implementation of this
initiative.
Presidential support: Kaduna State has briefed and
updated the president on the security challenges,
and the president has pledged FG support for the
comprehensive security plan.
Relief: We have conducted multiple aerial surveys
of the Birnin-Gwari area and have visited affected
communities there and in Southern Kaduna,
offering medical assistance and condolences.
Prisons: we have visited prisons in Kaduna and
Zaria, pursuing rehabilitation of facilities and
decongestion. As a result of these efforts, 98
persons awaiting trial for minor offenses were
released by the Chief Judge of Kaduna State.
Infrastructure
Zaria Water Project: We have ordered accelerated
work to complete this project as a priority item for
our government. We have visited the site of the
project and reviewed it with the contractors. A firm
decision has been taken to commit funds monthly
so that the project can be completed by early
2018.
The African Development Bank and Islamic
Development Bank, the major funders of the
project, have been consulted and they share our
desire to speed-up completion. In addition, we are
working on a project to upgrade the capacity to
supply water to Kaduna residents through a new
Kaduna Water Project.
Job creation
Kaduna Cabs: We have initiated a scheme to revive
taxi services in our major urban centres. The aim
is to create jobs for owner-drivers who will help
improve the commuting experience with their
comfortable cars and excellent customer service.
The scheme is starting with 200 vehicles in
Kaduna, and is being implemented in collaboration
with Peugeot. We have already placed adverts to
invite participation in the scheme.
Indorama: Our drive to attract new investors to the
state has attracted positive response from
Indorama, a leading player in petrochemicals. They
have selected Kaduna as their regional distribution
centre. They will be building warehouses, fertilizer
blending plant and a training centre in Kaduna.
Shopping Mall: Our main urban centres, including
the state capital Kaduna, are lacking modern
shopping malls. We have indicated our readiness
to partner with capable investors in this sector.
Agriculture
Fertilizer: One of our first actions in office was to
stop the unfair practice of allocating subsidized
fertilizer to prominent persons to the detriment of
ordinary farmers. We launched the 2015 fertilizer
sales season in Kachia with a clear structure that
sells fertilizers to interested persons from
designated sales point. We shall be reviewing and
improving the process of procuring and distributing
fertilizer to make access easier for the farmers.
A New Agricultural Policy is being prepared with
the aim of enhancing the capacity of the sector to
create viable jobs; improve farm productivity and
raise the involvement of Kaduna citizens in the
value chain.
Sanitation
Clean city agenda: We have met the sanitation
contractors and have expressed to them our
dissatisfaction at the squalid state of our urban
areas. We want our towns and cities to be clean,
and we shall do it.
Sports
Kaduna has, for the first time in a long while,
hosted an international football match when the
Super Eagles played a friendly match with Chad at
the Ahmadu Bello Stadium. Our people turned out
to see the game, showing that Kaduna is a sports
city. That impressive turnout has now placed us
on the radar to host many competitive matches
because the football authorities now know that our
great people will actually come to the stadium, fill
it up and cheer the players.
What we intend to do
In the following months, we shall be focused on
the following issues:
Education : we shall begin implementing our
comprehensive agenda to improve education.
School repairs, and the provision of facilities like
furniture, water and toilets will begin as we fulfill
our responsibility to provide a better learning
environment. Alongside this, we shall begin to
enhance the capacity and quality of the teachers
generally, and we shall pay extra attention to
getting more and better teachers in English, Maths
and Science.
Health: hospital upgrades, in terms of facilities and
equipment, will be accelerated as our MoU with GE
Healthcare is steadily implemented. We have a
commitment to properly equipping our hospitals
so that most of our people’s healthcare needs can
be met by our own public hospitals.
Township Roads : neighborhood and township
roads in our major urban centres will be upgraded
to the extent we can within this rainy season.
Transport: our multilayer transport architecture will
be executed. That includes preparations, studies
and projects to put in place:
– the new cab scheme and expanding to Zaria and
Kafanchan,
– a BRT system for mass transit starting with
Kaduna,
– a major project to establish Kaduna-Zaria light
rail system between Shika and through the Kaduna
Metropolis and up to the Refinery,
– new bus and truck terminals in Kaduna, Tafa,
Mararaban Jos and Zaria
Security
Comprehensive security plan for Southern Kaduna
and the Birnin-Gwari/Giwa axis
Forensic laboratory under the control of our State
Internal Security outfit – Operation Yaki – to
enhance the investigative capacity of law-
enforcement agencies
Clean Cities : We would not allow our urban centres
to continue to be defaced by waste. We shall be
improving waste collection, then we would
introduce sanitary inspectors and engage the
public in a voluntary commitment to make our
cities clean.
Rural and community development: Under the
leadership of our Deputy Governor, we shall be
mainstreaming the Millennium Village Pampaida
programme as a viable model across our rural
communities. It will have components to improve
education, healthcare, rural roads and the farming
activities that engage most of our rural residents.
Job Creation : your government will undertake
direct recruitment of qualified doctors, nurses and
teachers to urgently raise the quality of service in
our hospitals and schools. We shall also employ at
least 50 youths per ward over the next four years,
in our initial efforts for traffic control and
environmental enforcement. But try as it might,
government can only employ a minority of youths
who need jobs. Thus we remain focused on
creating a favourable climate for the private sector
to create jobs.
Textile Revival: We have the support of Mr.
President to work on policies and schemes that
will revive this sector as viable and sustainable
employer of labour. We are cooperating with
current and potential textile investors on a package
that stimulates the value-chain from cotton
farming to garmenting.
There is so much to do, with fewer resources. But
we have no option than to deliver quality
performance for the people who have invested so
much hope in us. We need your understanding
and support for the difficult decisions that we must
take if we are to serve you to the best of our
ability. We will need committed people in and out
of government to contribute to achieving the goals
we have set out.
We are not shrinking government for its own sake.
We are making government leaner so that it can
work better for you. Let us all make sacrifices for
change.
Above is the Keynote address by Nasir El-Rufai,
Governor of Kaduna State, at the first Town Hall
meeting of the APC Kaduna State Government, at
the Hassan Katsina House, Kawo, Kaduna, on
Saturday, 27 June

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Kudos to u sor

well done sir

Tell someone to stop making noise ....

h

Pace setter.