Aftermath of the Tuesday’s attack on Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s convoy by youths in Southern part of Kaduna State, the Governor has appealed to citizens not to retaliate.

The Governor and his entourage were pelted with stones and some of the vehicles broken after addressing some demonstrators immediately after he chaired Kaduna State Security Council meeting in the area.

The official residence of the local government chairman, Dr. Bege Katuka was also burnt.

The governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan in a statement issued in Kaduna on Wednesday described the unfortunate incident as part of the burden of leadership. He added that the Governor is of the view that there must be no reaction to the incident other than a continued commitment to restore peace and harmony.

Meanwhile, a 24-hour curfew has been imposed on three local government areas of Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a. The Kaduna State Security Council said it took the step based on credible intelligence about risks to lives and property in the affected areas.

Aruwan statement quoted the Governor El-Rufai as saying that, “in the name of God, I am begging you. No one should take the law into his or her hand over what happened in Kafanchan. Although it is unfortunate, but we must rise above induced prejudice and hatred. We must defeat hate with patience, love and dedication to duty and not eye for an eye.

“It is also a burden of leadership and we will, by the special grace of God, overcome these forces of darkness who are dividing our citizens using religion, ethnicity and politics. I commend the high sense of professionalism exhibited by security personnel.

“I listened to three of the women who led the protesters as they asked me questions. I answered them and even invited them to a larger meeting, but they went on rampage and burnt the residence of the local government chairman.

“The government of Kaduna State and the Security Council sympathize with the chairman of Jema’a local government, Dr.Bege Katuka and his family over the unfortunate incident that led to the burning of their home. Our prayers and support go with them,” the Governor said.

On the curfew, Aruwan said, the governor will update the people of the state on the steps being taken to improve security in the state in a state-wide live radio interview on Wednesday night, from 8pm to 10 pm.

He also disclosed that the Kaduna State Security Council also reaffirmed the ban on all processions and unlawful assembly throughout the state.

The statement said that security agencies have also been empowered to arrest and prosecute any individual or groups that violate these orders.

“Furthermore, the Security Council urged security operatives to ensure best practices in enforcing the directives.

“The meeting, which was chaired by Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, had the following members of the Council in attendance: The Deputy Governor, Arc. Barnabas Yusuf Bala, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Agyole Abeh,, Director DSS, Mohammed Tijjani Wakili,, Brig. Gen. I. Isa, Commander, 1 Division Garrison, Nigerian Army, Rear Admiral T. T. Dakwat, Commandant Nigerian Navy School of Armament, Kachia and AVM Bello Garba, Base Commander, Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna,” the governors statement read.

Source: The Nation.

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday appealed to citizens in the state not to react to the treatment meted on him by demonstrators in Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area on Tuesday.
Mr. El-Rufai and his entourage were pelted with stones and some of their vehicles damaged after addressing some demonstrators, immediately after he held the state security council meeting in the area.
The official residence of the local government chairman, Bege Katuka, was also burnt down in the attack.
According to a resident of Kafanchan who witnessed the attack on the governor, the attack was not by women who initiated the protest, but by youth who joined the protesters.
“They threw dangerous items at the governor. Bottles, stones and rods. They were shouting and singing hate songs,” the resident said.
The governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, disclosed in an official statement that Mr. El-Rufai considered the unfortunate event as part of the burden of leadership.
He added that the governor urged that there should be no reaction to the incident, other than a continued commitment to restoring peace and harmony.
The statement quoted the governor as saying that “in the name of God, I am begging you. No one should take the law into his or her hand over what happened in Kafanchan.
“Although it is unfortunate, we must rise above induced prejudice and hatred. We must defeat hate with patience, love and dedication to duty and not an eye for an eye.
“It is also a burden of leadership and we will, by the special grace of God, overcome these forces of darkness who are dividing our citizens using religion, ethnicity and politics. I commend the high sense of professionalism exhibited by security personnel.
“I listened to three of the women who led the protesters as they asked me questions. I answered them and even invited them to a larger meeting, but they went on the rampage and burnt the residence of the local government chairman.
“The government of Kaduna State and the Security Council sympathise with the chairman of Jema’a local government, Dr. Bege Katuka, and his family over the unfortunate incident that led to the burning of their home. Our prayers and support go with them,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.
In a related development, the state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on three local government areas.
The affected areas are Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a.
The government said it took the step following credible intelligence about risk to lives and property in the areas.

Source: Premium Times

Zamfara state Governor Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, was accused by City People and The Polity of dating Zahra, the 21 year-old daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The article claimed the Governor, who is Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, gave her a whopping $200 million.

However, the Governor, via his lawyer, Mahmud Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has vehemently denied the reports, and sent letters to both publications this week, threatening to sue them if they do not clear Yari’s name.

According to the letter:

“The above publication, no doubt, is false and defamatory, and it is intended to bring the reputation of our client to ridicule and cause odium or malignity to our client.

Since the above publication, our client has received countless phone calls and text messages from family, friends, colleagues and associates, who incessantly call to enquire about the said publication.

Consequent upon the above, it is our client’s instruction that we demand from you published retraction of the said defamatory piece in three national newspapers inclusive of your own – City People, The Polity.”

Governor Yari also threatened to sue the publishers of City People and The Polity N10 billion and N100 billion respectively if they do not retract the publications and print apologies within seven days.

Leadersip reports that the flag off took place at LGEA Primary Schoolin Aliyu Makama Barnawa-Kaduna, Kaduna South local government area, on Monday, January 18.

In his speech, El-Rufai explained that the school feeding programme will provide one meal per day to 1.5 million pupils in public primary schools.

“It is an unprecedented undertaking in this state, but one that we solemnly pledged to do when we were campaigning,” he added.

El-Rufai expressed gratitude to the vice-president’s office for providing technical support and the commitment to reimburse the state government up to 60% of the cost of the school feeding programme.

The governor further noted that the school feeding programme would create 17, 000 jobs for catering vendors, each of whom will need to employ workers to help them deliver food to the pupils.

While some Nigerians commended the governor for launching the programme, others called on him to pay salaries and allowances to children's parents in time.

Source: Naij.com

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, on Tuesday signed into law the 2017 budget of N214bn.

The State House of Assembly was the first among the 36 states of the Federation to pass the 2017 budget into law.

Governor El-Rufai while signing the appropriation bill into law at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim government House, Kaduna , also announced that the state had received the Paris Club refund from the Federal Government which he said would be used to clear six years pension,gratuity and death benefits of retired and dead workers in the state.

Governor El-Rufai said: “I wish to inform our legislators that we shall be submitting a Supplementary Budget to enable us capture the debt refunds we have just received from the Federal Government. Fifty-five percent of these funds belong to the state government, and the balance is for the local governments.

“We propose to apply 50% of the funds to settling the inherited arrears of gratuity and death benefits for state and local government workers. Some of these unpaid arrears date from as far back as 2010.

“Mr. Dan Ndackson, the Executive Secretary of
the Bureau of Pension, has done a great job of sorting out these records and we will be ready to pay once the supplementary budget is passed.

“This is unprecedented, but we are happy to clear the problems created by those before us. The balance of the funds will be dedicated to rural and urban roads.”

He said the budget was deliberately skewed rising from N172bn approved for 2016 because “We need to increase spending in a recession.”

In 2017 budget, the governor noted that he retained the pro-poor programmes which his administration was committed to including improving access to education, healthcare, infrastructure, jobs and security.

“It puts the needs and interests of our people first. In 2017, Kaduna State will spend N44.84bn on Education; N10.49bn on Health; N24.50bn
on Infrastructure and N8.1bn on Water. Agriculture, one of our areas of comparative advantage, will get N4.58bn,” he said.

He added: “All these investments are meant to ensure that in 2017, we deliver the Zaria Water project, begin a school rebuilding and equipment programme that is unprecedented in the history of the state; complete the refitting of 278 primary health centres and hospitals and improve our investment profile and job-creation capacity with the establishment of an agro-industrial zone.

“In addition, we will expand our programme to rebuild and maintain township roads and kick-off the first phase of the Kaduna mass transit
scheme. An Emergency Nutrition Intervention Programme to reduce malnutrition and hunger amongst our poorest citizens and children will
also be implemented.”

While commending the State House of Assembly, the governor said, “Our legislators actually reduced the draft estimates we presented by N1bn when the temptation might have been to pad it. We welcome their commitment to a partnership in the interest of our people, and the hard work they have demonstrated in passing 20 laws in 19 months.

“The B+ Fitch Ratings Kaduna State recently got owes a lot to the policy and legal framework created by legislation such as the Tax Codification, Public Procurement, Fiscal Responsibility and Public
Finance Management laws” El-Rufai said.

Earlier, the Speaker Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon.Aminu Abdullahi Shagali, said the 2017 budget would have smooth implementation by the executive arm: “To this end, efforts will be made
through oversight and other legislative and parliamentary processes to assist your administration in that direction.

“The future of the House is very bright because of the support given by you and would redouble our efforts through all our legislative competence to maintain standard especially in the area of early completion of assignments and other mandates,” he said.

Source: Daily Post

By Samuel Aruwan

In its first year in office, the Kaduna State Government, led by Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has demonstrated the substantive meaning of change. His electoral mandate is being implemented as a conscientious exercise in building new foundations on which to erect a sustainable future for Kaduna State.



Change is not about new faces in Government House, or fresh appointees doing the same old things. It is about giving a new direction, making tough choices and delivering the social goods the people need. Explaining the motivations of his policies, El-Rufai said that “our programme is structured to ensure that poverty does not stifle a child’s ability to gain decent basic education or kill a pregnant mother during childbirth, and that young people have the skills and access to finance to actualize their agency in creating jobs or in doing well where they are employed. We seek to reduce the possibility that pregnancy becomes a multiple, sometimes fatal ordeal for father, mother and infant. We seek to stand by the hardworking and the honest, to promote initiative and to reward merit without religious or ethnic preference”. Anchored on a new style that is devoid of ostentation, Malam El-Rufai is providing leadership distinguished by personal example and sacrifice.

The tone was set in his inauguration speech where he announced that he and Deputy-Governor Barnabas Yusuf Bala would donate 50% of their salary and allowances to the state. This was to underline the need for everyone to be prepared for the sacrifices ahead. Having inherited a state government that spent most of its revenues on public servants and political appointees, El-Rufai was determined to change this. He affirmed a commitment to reorienting government spending away from catering for the few to delivering the needs of the many. As he told the honourable members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, can a government elected by majority vote turn around to focus public spending on a few? Can a polity be properly described as a democracy if its resources are consistently gulped by a tiny minority?

Shrinking Government; cutting costs.

El-Rufai answered these questions by shrinking the size of government. He merged and restructured ministries, reducing them from 19 to 13. Where the previous government had 24 commissioners, he appointed only 13, attaching their portfolios to the nomination papers he forwarded to the legislature. He moved on to tackling the issues of fraud and waste, cutting overheads in the Executive Branch to 40% and initiating the biometric verification of civil servants and pensioners. The verification exercise has helped to reduce the monthly wage bill to N2.2bn from the N2.7bn it was in May 2015. By October 2015, 2,484 ghost pensioners were removed from the payroll, and that is saving the state N1.3bn every year. With N14.3bn in inherited pension arrears, the case for verifying pensioners makes itself.

The wisdom in insisting on verification, despite the hitches the process has encountered, was borne out when the state’s federal allocation fell to N2.4bn in April 2016, barely N200m above the wage bill. That is not to mention overheads to run the government and capital expenditure to deliver education, health care and infrastructure. Tackling fraud and stopping waste are crucial to any ability to secure enough resources to provide for the needs of the 8m-10m residents of Kaduna State. Otherwise, governance becomes merely an exercise in paying the monthly wages of 87,000 civil servants and political office holders. That is not an option.

Rigorous attention to monitoring state finances led to the swift implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which required the closure of all state government accounts in commercial banks and the transfer of the balances in those accounts to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

To be continued

Source: Legacy Reporters

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State on Saturday insisted that parents who failed to send their children to school in September in the state would be jailed.

The governor, who stated this at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, during the screening of the “He named me Malala,” documentary organised by his wife, Hadiza, said parents who did not want to take their children to school, were free to leave the state.

He said, “You can leave Kaduna State if you don’t want to send your child to school next month. No Street begging again. All our children must go to school. Any parent who refuses to send his or her child to school will be prosecuted and send to prison.”

This is just as the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Andrew Nok, said the current administration in the state had awarded scholarships to 40 girls to study Medicine in Uganda as a way of encouraging girl-child education.

Also, El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza, said the percentage of out-of-school girls was too high and the government had decided to solve the problem. She said young girls constituted a significant percentage of the population and must be supported with education and training required to ensure that they contributed effectively to the society.

El-Rufai’s wife said, “I wish to start by thanking all of you for coming to this screening of the ‘He named me Malala Documentary.’ While most of us know Malala as the 19-year-old Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, it is important to know where her journey started.

“Malala was just a regular Pakistani girl with a penchant for education until in 2012 when her pursuit for education resulted in her being shot and put in a coma. The attack received worldwide condemnation; she has since recovered from the tragedy and has translated this tragedy to worldwide advancements in girl child education.

“In Kaduna State, we are working assiduously to create opportunities, the percentage of girls out of school is way too high and this is a problem we have decided to solve. In cognizance of this, we are working hard to increase female enrolment in good schools, improve school curriculum and make affordable health care available for everyone.”

Also Kaduna State Government will soon domesticate the Child Rights Act to protect girls and give them fair chances for self realisation. Governor El-Rufai made the statement on Wednesday in Kaduna at an event organised to commemorate the 2016 World Population Day. Represented by his deputy, Mr Barnabas Bantex, the governor said that the bill had been forwarded to the state Assembly for passage. He said: “we cannot deny that teenage girls in the country, especially in the north are facing issues detrimental to their well being.“Issues ranging from forced marriages, early motherhood, sexual abuse, gender discrimination and lack of access to education and prompt justice. “In response to this, we are strengthening our justice system to speedily respond and tackle cases of rape and other forms of violence and abuse against the girl child.’’ The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to invest in the development of teenage girls, stressing that the state would continue to invest massively in the education of children. “Just recently, the state’s House of Assembly passed an executive bill that gives every child access to nine-year

In another development, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has signed into law the Bill Prohibiting Hawking and Begging in Kaduna State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bill, passed by the state Assembly, has attracted criticisms from residents.

The Bill, signed on Tuesday by the governor, would however come into effect from September 2016. El-Rufai told a delegation from UNESCO, UNICEF and USAID, during the signing of a partnership agreement to boost the education sector, that every child in the state must go to school. “This morning, I signed a bill that prohthat prohibits street hawking and begging in Kaduna state. From September 2016, every child between the ages of 6 and 15 must be in school, not on the street hawking or begging, otherwise the parents must be prosecuted and sent to prison.

We have taken this step to give impetus to the Universal Basic Education Act which makes basic education in Nigeria compulsory. We must force people to send their children to school and we are not going to give them choice; everyone in Kaduna state must go to school,” he said. El-Rufai stressed that his administration would “open the doors of learning to every child and will not shirk in its responsibility to make public schools capable of delivering quality education”. He said that the state government would build more classrooms to enable every child in the state access qualitative basic education.

SOURCE: (PUNCH AND NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA)

The Kaduna State government is set to shame individuals who build on land meant for public schools by naming them, an official has said.
Samuel Aruwan, who speaks for Governor Nasir El-Rufai, said the names will be made public soon.
There have been public altercations between owners of such buildings and the state government as the owners say they acquired the land through due process.
Mr. Aruwan, while addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Saturday, said the state government is determined to restore the lands to the schools.
According to Mr. Aruwan, the ongoing recovery exercise is now being implemented in Rimi College, Kaduna. Founded in 1941 as Saint John’s College, the school occupies 24.387 hectares of land.
He added that previous governments “eventually excised a total of 3.19 hectares, which they gave to private individuals. The school also lost its students’ hostels which were converted to offices for some state and federal agencies.”
On when government will make public names of those allocated land in the school, Mr. Aruwan said, “The promise made by the governor will be fulfilled soon”.
He added that the government considers it prudent to publish the names of the individuals that were allocated plots of land within the school by previous administrations.
“The Government is aware that some of the 38 beneficiaries of the allocations took no steps to develop their plots because they had reservations about building on school property.
“Government hopes that our elite would subscribe to a consensus that preserves and respects the integrity of social asset like schools and hospitals. Take it from me that the public will get to know everything and nothing will be hidden,” he said.
One of the persons who lives in his house in Rimi College told PREMIUM TIMES that although his house is on the school land, he followed due process to acquire it.
“I got my land by following the right channel, but I am willing to quit the property for the betterment of our state,” he said. “I just hope we get some kind of compensation from the government.”

Source: Premium Times

– A compulsory free education scheme is about to kick off in Kaduna state

– The Kaduna state government will penalize parents who refuse to enroll their children and wards

– Those caught giving or receiving arms in the state will also be penalized

– Fifteen secondary schools are to be reactivated as boarding institutions

A free compulsory primary education is set to be enforced by the Kaduna state government. Plans have been concluded to commence the enforcement of the bill across the 23 local government areas next month.

The commissioner for education, science and technology, Prof Andrew Nok who briefed Journalists on the activities of the ministry, said the bill to enforce compulsory primary education in the state has been passed into law and would be become effective in September.

He said, government came up with law in order to ensure that no one is deprive of basic education in the state, “the law provides penalty to parent who refuse to send their children or ward to school.”

“Anybody who is caught giving or receiving alms to beggars, and parent who sends their children to school would be dealt with by the law,” he said.

He said, the state government is going to get the Almajiri children integrated into the modern school system.

The commissioner also disclosed that a total of N2.2 billion has been spent on the payment of 1,200 newly recruited teachers in the state.

The commissioner said the delay in payment was to ensure that all the newly recruited staff passed through proper documentation to check the “ghost worker syndrome.”

Nok also pledged that 15 secondary schools would be reactivated as boarding schools and equipped with standard facilities across the 23 local government areas.

He said hostels, library, clinic, kitchen facilities, perimeter fence and potable water would be provided to give the schools a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

The 15 schools to be reactivated as boarding institutions included Queen Amina College, Kaduna, Government Girls secondary School, Kawo; Government Technical College, Malali and Barewa Collage, Zaria.

Source: Naij.com

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai on Monday commended the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on its healthcare service delivery in the state.
El-Rufai made the commendation in Kaduna while addressing the 2016 batch “B” Corps members serving in the state.

According to him, the people of the state have benefited tremendously from the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), calling on the scheme to sustain the programme.

“We are all aware that the second edition was a success at Chikun Local Government Area in October 2016, the tempo should be sustained,” the governor urged.

Besides, El-Rufai advised the scheme to also sustain its partnership with the state Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on the “Keep Kaduna Green”.

“We desire to plant 3 million trees between now and next year to fruition. The initiative will ensure a healthier environment for the citizens of the state”.

He assured that his administration would ensure fulfilment of the statutory functions of the NYSC to ensure that objectives of the scheme were achieved.

The governor also tasked the corps members on the relevance to acquaint themselves with the culture and values of the communities they would interact with during the serve year.

The state NYSC Coordinator, Prince Momoh said 2,178 corps members, comprising 1,143 male and 1,035 female, had been registered.

Momoh commended the state authorities and security agencies for ensuring that facilities and safety at the orientation camp were provided.

He assured that corps members would be guided on policies of the scheme especially the entrepreneurship training, stressing that camp rules would be strictly implemented.

“The camp management would ensure that corps members were trained properly as future leaders and we expect full cooperation with camp officials,’’ said the coordinator.
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Source: Pulse

KADUNA— Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, yesterday, said all structures in the expansive Gbagyi Villa suburb of Kaduna metropolis that did not have Certificate-of-Occupancy and Building Permits would be pulled down, despite a pending court case instituted by the community.


Gov. Nasir-El-Rufai
Recall that Chris Obodum, Chairman, Gbyagi Villa Community, Gbagyi villa in April, claimed the community “has no fewer than 3,000 fully developed modern housing units, 40 churches and about 12 schools and 35,000 inhabitants.”

El-Rufai, who visited Gbagyi villa yesterday, was shown around the controversial estate by the Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Mohammed Bello Ibrahim, said it was unfortunate that thou-sands would have to lost their life savings because they broke the law.

Bello told the governor that the villa was an illegal settlement, which had taken over 70 percent of the land allocated to the polytechnic.

Source: Vanguard

Zamfara State has witnessed the translation of progress into reality by His Excellency, Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar, Shattiman Mafara, who is a great strategist, honest and focused personality. With intimidating credentials, he achieves excellent results in whatever he does.

Governor Abubakar has not only carved a niche for himself as an astute administrator but also as a great motivator who has dedicated his life to the service of humanity and the downtrodden. He has touched the lives of people of the state by executing laudable programmes and projects thereby leaving no one in doubt of his commitment to taking the state that prides itself in farming to a safe haven.

In this interview Honourable Tukur Ibrahim Nahuche, chairman, Bungudu Local Government of Zamfara State, speaks on the achievements of Governor Abubakar, especially concerning his projects in Bungudu LG, thereby imploring Zamfara people to vote him for a second term. Excerpt:

What has Governor Abubakar done concerning roads in Bungudu LG?

His Excellency, Alhaji Abdul’Aziz Yari Abubakar has helped local governments in the state with developmental projects as you can see especially here in Bungudu. The first road awarded was that of Tashar Abu-Kekun Waje to Bingi, it is now under construction, if you are going to Sokoto from Bungudu just a few kilometres, km, away, one will see heavy road equipment working on the road at Tasha Abu Junction. Another road under construction is Lambar Nahuce – Nahuce village along K/Namoda Road. Also the same road links Nahuce to Karakkai-Gama Giwa. He also constructed township roads and 25km roads in all the local governments areas of the state. You can also see the township road which is at Bungudu and Kwatar Kwashi.


An imposing landscape in Kwatar Kwashi Town

What has the LG done to complement the governor’s effort?

On the part of local government council, we try to emulate the executive governor by embarking on construction of mosques. We also contributed to communities whom embark on community development projects. We also assist them in finishing their projects, especially that of mosques, culverts and drainages among others.

To be continued

Source: Tell

The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has expressed gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, and the Nigeria Police Force for the determined efforts to ensure that peace and security prevail in Kaduna State.

He commended the exemplary professionalism displayed by the Police in tackling insecurity in the state when the Inspector General of Police and the Police Management team paid him a courtesy call in his office on 26th October, 2016.
Governor El- Rufai urged the Inspector General of Police to nip in the bud the sources of crime and insecurity throughout the Country. The Governor emphasized the compelling need for a comprehensive national solution to kidnapping and other violent crimes which have destructive effects on growth and development.
He further stated that peace and security are critical to development. Governor El-Rufai condoled the IGP on the loss of some Police officers in the recent crisis in Godogodo, Jama’a LGA of the State.
IGP Ibrahim Idris, in his remarks, assured the Governor that the Nigeria Police will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities in accordance to rule of law and international best practices.
The IGP said that the current strength of Police personnel run short of United Nations recommendations of a Police officer to four hundred citizens.
However, the IGP expressed gratitude to President Mohammadu Buhari for the current recruitment drive in the country and hoped the recruitment will continue on yearly basis to augment the short fall arising from retirement and death while in service.

The IGP pleaded with the Governor to assist in the search and rescue of Police officers missing in action in the attempt to mediate in communal conflict in the state. The IGP commended the Governor and the good people of Kaduna State in their proven assistance and cooperation to the Force in the onerous task of crime reduction and management in the State.

Source: News Direct

When Zamfara State was created 20 years ago, only a few analysts gave her any chance of survival or meaningful development. But through visionary leadership and good governance, the state has proved all doubters wrong by standing shoulder to shoulder with her peers across the federation with impressive development in education, infrastructure, information technology, agriculture and the health sector.

As Zamfara State gets set to roll out the drums in celebration of its 20th anniversary, it is fitting to briefly dwell on some of the laudable strides of the Governor, His Excellency,

In an era where most states are riddled with one problem or the other, Zamfara State has stood tall like a colossus under the leadership of his excellency, Governor Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari who has transformed the state with sterling achievements since assuming office in 2011 and as the state turns 20, it won’t take a genius to know that this state is on the path to greatness as what it has achieved so far is only a tip of the iceberg.

For an administration that inherited a lot of challenges ranging from; huge infrastructural deficit to high level of poverty and illiteracy and low economic viability, Governor Yari was not a man to whine and complain, instead, picking his tools and setting the state on the path of recovery. Today, Zamfara state stands tall among Northern states in the country.

In the first year of this administration, the government constructed and commissioned 300 blocks of classrooms across the 14 local governments in the state. As if that wasn’t enough, a 7,000 fully equipped ICT teachers capacity training center was also constructed in Gusua, the state capital.

Still in the area of education, girl child education has also received a major boost recording highest enrollment in two years while the ICT component of secondary education in the state has got the eyes of the international community. Government Girls College, Talata Marafa, was recently equipped with state of the art facilities while provisions for Arabic school and continuing education for married women have also been put in place.

On the 29th of May, in commemorating Democracy Day, the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola commissioned the 2.5 MVA 33KV/11 substation in Anka town in the state to boost electricity supply and aid commercial activities within the state.

Governor Yari Abubakar has also left his administration’s imprimatur in the agriculture, and health sectors. Once he had assumed the reins in 2011, the Governor left no one in doubt that water provision was going to be a key developmental challenge he was willing to tackle head on. Like most States in arid and rural Nigeria, potable drinking water was a key problem in Zamfara. Water borne diseases were rife and women and girls trekked for hours to scoop untreated and filthy water from ponds and streams.

Within a couple of months on the saddle under his belt, the Yari Abubakar administration had completed the N636m Kaura-Namoda water treatment plant. In one year, the administration had awarded a N6.7bn contract for the construction of a water treatment plant in Talata Mafara.

Development experts tie access to potable water to development and economic empowerment, especially in developing economies. It’s easy to see why 37 percent of the 884 million people around the world who lack access to safe drinking water, reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. Almost two in three people who require safe drinking water, survive on less than $2 a day. Persons without access to clean water are burdened with poverty and underdevelopment. Worse, their health and education suffers as a consequence!

A common sight as one traverses the 14 local councils of Zamfara today, are giant water supply reservoirs powered by solar energy. The water schemes from Kasuwar Daji, to Rini, to Maradu have positively affected the livelihoods of the locals and spurned something of an economic rebirth in Zamfara.

Of the six states created in 1996, Zamfara has made arguably the most progress in rural health care and girl child education. Before the Yari Abubakar administration, scant attention was paid to getting girls of school age out of the farms and markets and into schools. The school enrolment figures for the girl child in the North of Nigeria, is proportional to the low development indices in the region. The Governor has always recognized this nexus and sought to address the imbalance.

With meagre resources at his disposal, Governor Yari Abubakar has managed to embark on key developmental projects with positive impact on the people of Zamfara State. The investment in education, especially girl child education, has paid off with the highest enrolment figure in the last two years.

Provision has also been made for Arabic schools and continuing education for married women to ensure that all groups are represented in the education net of the administration. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) component of education has also received a shot in the arm under Yari Abubakar. The Government Girls College in Talata Mafara was recently equipped with state of the art facilities. 300 blocks of classrooms across all 14 local governments in the State were wearing new looks in the Governor’s 1st year. A 7,000 capacity teacher training centre has been constructed in Gusau, the state capital. The structure is equipped with ICT facilities.

When Governor Yari Abubakar took his oath of office on May 29 2011, Zamfara State was confronted with huge infrastructural deficit, high level of poverty and illiteracy and low economic viability. Today, he has turned the situation around and Zamfara has developed into a key state in North West Nigeria.

There may have been missed opportunities, but there is little doubt on the streets of Gusau and elsewhere in the State, that under Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar, Zamfara is headed somewhere.

Roll out the drums then, shall we, because 20 years after Sani Abacha granted the status of a State to the former Sokoto enclave, things are looking up again – as they should.

Source: GP

The Kaduna State Government on Friday performed the ground breaking for its $120 million Vicampro Potatoes Farm and Processing facility in Manchok, Kaura.

The farm is expected to cover 10,000 hectares of land and generate 30,000 job opportunities. And it plans to be Africa’s biggest.

Performing the ceremony, Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State said the processing facility would earn foreign exchange and reduce over-dependence on oil.

El-Rufa’i said the State government was determined to promote agricultural practices to fast track development, diversify the economy and boost Internally Generated Revenue.

“Today’s event is a product of the Kaduna Economic Summit in April this year, where it showcased the numerous investment potentials in the State,” he said.

El-Rufa’i also appealed to the host community to support and cooperate with Vicampro to pave way for the attainment of its mission.


Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lamented the drop in oil prices, which he said had drastically affected the Country’s economy.

” There is therefore need for diversification as the only alternative.”

Emefiele said there was need for synergy among all stakeholders to actualise the initiative.

He commended the Kaduna State government for supporting the CBN to guarantee stable micro economy.

The CBN Governor assured the people that the bank would collaborate with the State government to translate the idea to reality for the benefit of all.

In a remark, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar, described the development as a giant stride towards moving the economy forward.

Earlier in his address, the Managing Director of Vicampro company, Michael Agbogbo said the company would produce French fries, Irish flakes and biscuits for local and international consumption.

The Chief of Moro’a, Malam Tagwai Sambo, commended the State government for establishing the facility in Manchok and pledged the cooperation of the community.

Source: NTA

Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has said that the state government has decided to delay the commencement of its primary School Feeding Programme, SFP, in this session until the re-examination of the entire recruitment and payment processes was completed.

He said, “This review includes a re-examination of the entire vendor recruitment and payment processes to secure better value for money through biometric verification.

“The 2016/17 school session has began with enrollment of pupils that is projected to rise to more than 2 million pupils,” the governor said.

Addressing members of the State House of Assembly in Kaduna Wednesday while presenting the 2017 proposed budget, governor El-Rufai said the delay was to enable the state conclude its verification exercise while waiting for the reimbursement by the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) for the matching grant to cover part of the expenses incurred on the programme from January to July 2016.

“We were encouraged to be a pilot state for the School Feeding Programme and began implementing the programme when we did based on assurances that we will be reimbursed for the feeding of pupils in primary classes 1 to 3, which account for more than 60 per cent of the monthly cost of the feeding.

“We are aware that the office of the Vice President is making every effort to hasten the reimbursement to enable the state to continue this laudable implementation of a key APC manifesto commitment.

“We made a start at the rehabilitation of schools and the provision of furniture, water and toilets. With more than N6bn already spent to make over 400 schools better, a gargantuan investment is required to extend it to all our 4,265 primary schools.

“This, we are committed to achieving. We have also realized that what our state education needs is a total rebuilding programme of classrooms and physical facilities, and intensive teacher training, rather than rehabilitation of dilapidated and congested facilities manned by largely unqualified teachers.

“We intend to complete existing contracts while launching a comprehensive rebuilding programme in 2017, by God’s Grace.

“Our Health Sector made great strides with the efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Strong commitments to routine immunisation continue, and our investments to protect our children from preventable diseases are being vigorously supported by our development partners.

“We have signed agreements with General Electric Healthcare for the modernisation of 255 primary health centres (one in each of our wards). The rehabilitation and preparation of these PHCs to receive life-saving equipment will kick off soon, and will be completed in early 2017.

”We continue to deliver free health care to children under-5, pregnant women and the elderly. On HIV/AIDS, we have made progress in slowing the scourge as a testing programme that covered over 126,000 pregnant women across the state has revealed about 0.3 per cent prevalence.

“We have secured accreditation for Barau Dikko Hospital as a teaching hospital for Kaduna State University, even as we continue to refurbish our general hospitals.

“We have responded to the recent malaria epidemic by making anti-malarial drugs free for all citizens and rapped up the distribution of free bed-nets in our public hospitals. The Ministry of Health and Human Services will fumigate parts of our state where the epidemic appears most prevalent to improve preventive care.”

Source: Daily Post Nigeria

The Governor made the call during the installation of the traditional ruler of Attyap Chiefdom in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking shortly after he handed over the staff of office to the new traditional ruler, El-Rufai lamented that there is too much hatred among the various ethnic diversities in the state often orchestrated by merchants of division and conflict.

He reminded the new royal father that he was ascending the throne at a critical period when the southern part of the state is facing a serious security challenge arising from the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

He urged him to use his new position to bring unity and peace among the various ethnic groups in his domain.

“Yours is a call to serve the people through quality leadership and selfless sacrifice. As a traditional ruler, you are a father to all in your domain. You are the custodian of the values, customs, and traditions of the Atyap people.

“We urge you to use your position as a royal father to unite all the people and promote peace and harmony in your chiefdom.

“Our state needs everyone in formal and informal positions of leadership to speak up for and to uphold a common humanity. Too many merchants of hate and division menace our land.

“They seek to have their bread buttered by the suffering and destruction that violence brings. They promote a persistent victim mentality, pushing a narrative that relegates and diminishes people and inclines them to base conduct.

“They package ordinary people into the mistaken and dangerous belief that the dice is always loaded against them because of religion and region, thereby fuelling a baseless sense of rage and hate.

“When and wherever violence wreaks havoc to live and limb, they see opportunity to feather their nests, rather than embrace their responsibility to work to ensure everyone’s right to life, movement and residence is respected.

“These merchants of division do all these for their personal relevance and bank accounts. Most of them live safely away from the theaters of the violence they induce.

“Many have homes in the safest parts of Kaduna, Abuja and cities abroad. Their children and youth are tucked safely away in private schools within Nigeria and abroad, with the proceeds from the relevance that violence and hatred earn for them,” he said.

Support Government

The Governor explained that his administration was in desperate need to bring the incessant attacks that have claimed so many lives and properties in Godogodo Chiefdom and other communities in the area to an end, adding that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of violence.

He urged the traditional and religious rulers to give support to the state government in restoring the lost glory of the state, as well as consolidating on the ongoing initiative to bring unity among the people.

“This government has consistently demonstrated its commitment to security and peace building not only in Southern Kaduna, but every part of the state. From supporting the security forces to promoting community engagements, we are exploring various avenues for peace.

“There is no doubt that security efforts and intelligence gathering must improve and we will continue to discharge our responsibility to uphold security and uphold the laws of the State.

“But we must all soberly acknowledge that the ultimate guarantee of peace is the willingness of people to live together in harmony and mutual respect.”

Self-help Or Vendetta

He appealed to the people not to resort self-help or vendetta as doing so will hamper harmonious co-existence among them.

“Resort to self-help and the pursuit of vendettas and reprisals can only produce destruction. Whatever the grievances may be, the appropriate conduct is to report to the law enforcement agencies.

“We have been disappointed to hear people who should know better issuing irresponsible calls for self-help. This must stop!
“We intend to vigorously prosecute them to encourage compliance with our appeal.

“I urge the people of Zangon-Kataf Local Government to embrace their duty to uphold peace and harmony, to support the Agwatyap and other Chiefs, to promote conduct and efforts that will empower our people and sustain growth and development.

“As I often say, we mere mortals cannot be wiser than the Almighty who gave us the gift of diversity. Let us get on with the business of being good human beings, doing unto others as we would have done to us, and wishing for others that which we wish ourselves”.

Proactive Measures

In his remarks, the new paramount ruler, Dominic Yahaya, promised to use his new position to bring sustainable peace and socio-economic development to the community.

He said: “We will adopt more proactive measures to sustain peace and unity in our communities.

“I will embark on sensitization of my people to be law abiding, live in peace and be security conscious and love one another.

“I will gather all the various entities within my chiefdom to promote peace. We shall pay special attention to the youths, efforts would be made to provide jobs for the youths.”

The people of Atyap community were without a paramount ruler for over seven months after the demise of the former occupant of the seat.

Source: Channels

A free compulsory primary education is set to be enforced by the Kaduna state government.
Plans have been concluded to commence the enforcement of the bill across the 23 local government areas next month.

The commissioner for education, science and technology, Prof Andrew Nok who briefed Journalists on the activities of the ministry, said the bill to enforce compulsory primary education in the state has been passed into law and would be become effective in September.

He said, government came up with law in order to ensure that no one is deprive of basic education in the state, “the law provides penalty to parent who refuse to send their children or ward to school.”

“Anybody who is caught giving or receiving alms to beggars, and parent who sends their children to school would be dealt with by the law,” he said.

He said, the state government is going to get the Almajiri children integrated into the modern school system.

The commissioner also disclosed that a total of N2.2 billion has been spent on the payment of 1,200 newly recruited teachers in the state.

The commissioner said the delay in payment was to ensure that all the newly recruited staff passed through proper documentation to check the “ghost worker syndrome.”

Nok also pledged that 15 secondary schools would be reactivated as boarding schools and equipped with standard facilities across the 23 local government areas.

He said hostels, library, clinic, kitchen facilities, perimeter fence and potable water would be provided to give the schools a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

The 15 schools to be reactivated as boarding institutions included Queen Amina College, Kaduna, Government Girls secondary School, Kawo; Government Technical College, Malali and Barewa Collage, Zaria.

Others included Government College, Kagoro; Girls Science Secondary School, Giwa; Rimi College, Zaria; Girls Science School, Kwoi; Government Girls Secondary School , Soba, Government college, Saminaka and Government College, Kagoro.

There is an air of tension, following moves by Governor El-Rufai to demolish about 3500 house, 40 churches and 16 schools within the state.

Vanguard reports that a large crowd of residents of Gbagyi Villa – a suburb of Kaduna metropolis – on March 17, trooped out, carrying placards in protest against demolition notices issued to them by Kaduna state Urban Planning Development Authority (KASUPDA).

The residents said they had been living in the community for decades and had acquired the necessary titles to the lands and, as such, were jolted by the intention of Kaduna state government to eject them.

Source Naij.com

Kaduna – Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State would flag-off the distribution of 20,000 electricity prepaid metres for customers in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head, Corporate Communication, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, on Monday in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the metres are part of the 50,000 the Kaduna Electric metres earmarked for distribution in its franchise states of Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.

“After the successful flag-off of the mass deployment of 50,000 prepaid smart metres in its franchise states at a ceremony in Sokoto in October, Kaduna Electric is set to launch the deployment of the metres in Kaduna state.

“The Kaduna Launch, which is expected to be flagged off by State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’I, is scheduled for Wednesday.’’

“The company is expecting the delivery of more metres before year end which shall also be deployed to its teeming customers in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, its franchise states,’’ the spokesman said.

He urged customers to embrace the installation of the metres in their homes as it is a better way of accurately reading the amount of energy consumed by them.

According to him, customers will be sure to pay for what they consume.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, flagged off the mass metre deployment in October in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Garba Haruna, has assured of the company’s commitment to metering its customers through a five-year metering plan.

Source: Vanguard

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, disclosed on Wednesday that the raw gold deposits in one local government area of the state is more than the entire mineral deposits in the Republic of South Africa.

The governor stated this at the opening of the Kaduna economic and investment forum which held at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Indoor Sports Hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna.

According to him, “We have just confirmed that Kaduna state, indeed Birnin Gwari local government alone, has more gold than South Africa. This is proven, this is verifiable; we have all the data and we are collaborating with the federal ministry of solid mineral.”

The governor said solid minerals alone, would attract about N40 billion investment to the state and urged investors to explore the opportunities in the state.

He said the new vision of his administration is to make Kaduna a state programmed for abundant investments , economic opportunities and prosperity.

The governor said further that his government has put all mechanism in place to ensure peace and security , good governance , improved quality of lives, and social inclusion for the people and investors coming to do business .

He said that discussions were going on with a large international mining company to come and explore gold reserves in state.

“We are focusing on mining and agriculture in creating jobs in this state. The mining company we are discussing with is going to take our local miners and train them and will group them into cooperatives so that they would become like sub contractors to them and be able to work with them.

“We are working with the federal government very closely to ensure that this happens” he said.

He said the government was also taking advantage of its abundant agricultural resources to woe investors, saying Kaduna has the best ginger in the world and that N5 billion would be spent for ginger production in the state.

Source: This day

Kaduna State Ministry of Youths and Sports had express readiness to
partner Multi Sports Promoters in organizing the
maiden edition of El-Rufai 5-Aside Indoor Soccer Tournament, which
will change the overall view of sports in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday 27th July,2016 the Commissioner of Youths,
Sports and Culture, Mr. Daniel Dan Auta during inauguration of the
five committees saddle with the responsibility of ensuring the success
of the tournament, expressed readiness that the tournament would give
a new face to sports management in the country.

According to him, the ministry decided to partner with Multi Sports
Promoters after studying the proposal and realizing that it aims into
the development of sports agenda of the Kaduna State Governor, Malam
Nasir el-Rufai.

“The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture as a practical MDA under
our energetic Governor, we saw, just like we are continuing to see,
that for us
to lift the business of sports to the next level, we don’t have a
choice but to open up our doors to progressive partnership that will
help us to achieve higher grounds in sports development in Kaduna
State.

“We opted not to only rely on sponsorship of the idea of Multi Sports
Promoters, but to partner with them because their ideas are in tandem
with our policies,” he said.

He charged members of the committees to hit the ground running, so
that they would hit the set targets.

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of Multi Sports Promoters, Saidu Idris
Dibis said that just like Lagos hosts the world in beach soccer
tournaments, their hope is that in no distant future, Kaduna would be
hosting the world in 5-Aside indoor soccer tournament.

He explained that the group is not only into promoting football, but is
making plans at partnering the 40 sports federations in Kaduna State, with
a view to making sports in the state the huge money spinning business it
is the world over.

Those inaugurated into the nine-member Main Organising Committee (MOC)
of the El-Rufai 5-Aside Soccer Tournament are the Commissioner of
Youth Sports and Culture as the chairman, Permanent Secretary, Kaduna
Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Director of Sports Kaduna
State, Chairman Nigeria Beach Volleyball, Engineer Musa Nimrod, Alhaji
Hassan Burji, Abdulrahman Tonga, Hajia Hafsat Dogo and Zulki el-Rufai
all serve as members, while Said Idris Dibis is the Vice Chairman.

Technical committee and Publicity committee where also inaugurated.

Source: Elanzar news

Kaduna – Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State would flag-off the distribution of 20,000 electricity prepaid metres for customers in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head, Corporate Communication, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, on Monday in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the metres are part of the 50,000 the Kaduna Electric metres earmarked for distribution in its franchise states of Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.

“After the successful flag-off of the mass deployment of 50,000 prepaid smart metres in its franchise states at a ceremony in Sokoto in October, Kaduna Electric is set to launch the deployment of the metres in Kaduna state.

“The Kaduna Launch, which is expected to be flagged off by State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’I, is scheduled for Wednesday.’’

“The company is expecting the delivery of more metres before year end which shall also be deployed to its teeming customers in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, its franchise states,’’ the spokesman said.

He urged customers to embrace the installation of the metres in their homes as it is a better way of accurately reading the amount of energy consumed by them.

According to him, customers will be sure to pay for what they consume.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, flagged off the mass metre deployment in October in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Garba Haruna, has assured of the company’s commitment to metering its customers through a five-year metering plan.

Source: Vanguard

Kaduna – Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State would flag-off the distribution of 20,000 electricity prepaid metres for customers in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head, Corporate Communication, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, on Monday in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the metres are part of the 50,000 the Kaduna Electric metres earmarked for distribution in its franchise states of Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.

“After the successful flag-off of the mass deployment of 50,000 prepaid smart metres in its franchise states at a ceremony in Sokoto in October, Kaduna Electric is set to launch the deployment of the metres in Kaduna state.

“The Kaduna Launch, which is expected to be flagged off by State Governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufa’I, is scheduled for Wednesday.’’

“The company is expecting the delivery of more metres before year end which shall also be deployed to its teeming customers in Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi, its franchise states,’’ the spokesman said.

He urged customers to embrace the installation of the metres in their homes as it is a better way of accurately reading the amount of energy consumed by them.

According to him, customers will be sure to pay for what they consume.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, flagged off the mass metre deployment in October in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Garba Haruna, has assured of the company’s commitment to metering its customers through a five-year metering plan.

Source: Vanguard

Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai and his executive Executive Council members spent time with Super Eagles players who are presently training in Kaduna ahead of the qualifier against Egypt. The governor has assured the team of the full support of the government and people of Kaduna State.

All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday inaugurated a committee that would help to organise its extraordinary convention slated for October 29.

Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who heads the 19-man committee is saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the constitution amendment of the party.

It is also expected to handle other activities leading to the convention to select its presidential candidate.

Speaking shortly after the inauguration, Yari said the committee was mandated to ratify the amendment of the party's constitution so that it has a successful convention.

He said, "The mandate given to us as far as the committee is concerned is to ensure that the convention is done to ratify the amendment of the sections of the party's constitution so that we can have a successful convention.

"As party men and women, we will work round the clock to see that the party achieves its aim.”

Former Bayelsa State governor, Timpreye Sylva will serve as the committee Secretary while members of the committee include; the National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, Hajiya Aisha Rufai Ibrahim, Alhaji Bala Borodo and Hon. Temi Harryman.

Other members of the committee are; Dr. Anyim Nyerere, National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, the National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed and the National Welfare Secretary of the party

The committee also has the six zonal National vice chairmen from the South-South, South-East, South-West, North-Central, North-West and the North-East as members.

Source: AIT

On May 6, Chinese Ambassador Gu Xiaojie met in Abuja with H.E. Mr. Abdul-Aziz Yari, Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Zamfara State, and exchanged views on bilateral relations and state-to-province cooperation between China and Nigeria.



Ambassador Gu pointed out that Nigerian President Buhari led a large senior delegation to visit China not long ago, which was a great success. During the visit, leaders of the two countries reached important consensus on bilateral relations. China and Nigeria have corresponding development strategies, strong economic complementarity and enormous cooperative potential. China is ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Nigeria in such fields as agriculture, infrastructure, mineral exploitation, processing and manufacturing, human resources, so as to help Nigeria realize diversified economic development. China encourages Chinese provinces and enterprises to strengthen exchanges with the Government of Zamfara State to realize mutual benefits.


Yari said that President Buhari’s visit to China was of a great success and the states of Nigeria are willing to jointly work with China to implement the agreements reached during the visit.Yari happily recalled his recent visit to China and admired China’s remarkable progress made in recent years. In this year when convenient, Yari also said, he would lead a delegation of Nigerian state governors to visit China so as to draw China’s experience in governance at the invitation of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Source: Chinese site

GR: Sir, what message do you have to extended to the entire people of the state?Yes, I can say I am happy the way people are supporting this government in the state can not be over emphasized and their unflinching support is really a kind of worthy of emulation to other people in the country. So my call to the entire people of Zamfara state, one is to pray for our government to succeed particularly our head of this administration I.e his exellency the executive Governor Abdulaziz Yari and his cabinets, two is to pray to the country as a whole for peace and tranquility to thrived and to pray to the nations especially when some people are advising the federal government to sell some of the national properties or assets so as to ample money that can be use to solve the current financial crisis that the country is facing, let us put heads together, God Almighty is there, he is always listening to us so we have to always pray very hard so that we have a change of this economic hardship, I am appealing to people of Zamfara state to go back to farm so as to get rid of food insecurity challenges we are in and also for them to have sense of belonging as Zamfara state Farming is our pride as government is ever ready to assist them on that direction in the forthcoming dry and next year rainy season.


Concluding part

Source: Gamji Reporters

GR: Sir, follow up to that question, recently one of the former Information commissioner had accused Governor Yari for high handedness governance, what is your reaction on this?

Well, to me is just politics, may be he wanted to be part of the system and how could he be recognized, he has not been heard for long because he was totally out of the system, I can’t imagine honestly that means that all the people I have just mentioned that they have visited the state recently to commission some very important projects that have direct impact to the entire people of the state, were they came and locked up in the rooms that they were not allowed to go round the state and see things by themselves about what our governor have done to his people, the leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu was here in May to commission some projects, the minister of power, housing was also in the state and commissioned some electrification projects and the president and five Governors have rounded it all. So how do you expect the state governor to invite President of the federal republic of Nigeria to come to the state for special assignment just without nothing to show to Mr. President? I mean does he just came and look at our people and just go back, I mean the whole world have seen what we have done and achieved. So to me is may be this former commissioner is out of his sense because any sensible person can not open up and say that the state government have not done anything because if the governor can invite the president and at different time invited vice president and other prominent people across the country I think is a welcome development to that state. So to me this commissioner is shading a crocodile tears just because he want to be heard and to me what he said is totally madness but I am appealing to him always make a constructive criticism against our government that will help government rectify what it has lapses rather than to go on air and begin telling lie and remember one day we shall all turn our attention to Almighty God and account what we did either good or bad before him.

GR: Sir, What new blueprint do this administration have within its remaining three years that can additionally transformed and mould the living conditions of people particularly at remote areas in the state?

We, you see every year, we are all indigence of Zamfara state, and we all know the problems affecting the state, I mean as we said, even if you have the resources time may not allowed you to achieve all that what you want to achieve that you have in mind even if you have the resources available. In every year a budgetary proposal prepared, and presented to the state house of assembly for ascent and that budget which every year is preparing is based on what the problem that people have in the state so is fished out in the shrine of a budget. So budget is just a proposal that is to you a state only proposed what it want to execute in the budget but you can execute without money everyone knows the situation we are around pertaining the economic meltdown were some of the state could not even pay eight months salary to workers, some states are thinking to reduce the working days to its civil servants so that they cut the salary by 50 percent because they can not afford to pay. The economic situation of this country has made it very difficult for the administration to succeed or to achieve what it want but, otherwise just 2015, his excelency, party leaders and well wishers went round the state for his reelection and he saw the problem that the state is encountering and promised that he will uplift the living standards of people and now he is running up and down to see all his promises being fulfill in order to salvage people from the hard economic conditions they are in now. So you can see the plan is there, the problems are there
And the intention is also there but my questions is where is the money? So that is both at federal and states levels we always put heat federal and states levels we always put head together at economic councils meeting to find ways that could bring lasting solution of the current economic recession the country is facing. We were lucky in Zamfara state people are talking and people are saying if the Governor Abdulaziz Yari is performing miracle then I said what kind of miracle, they said they wonder the state doesn’t have some sources of revenue generation that can enhance the state’s Internally generated revenue and yet is paying salary to workers up to date, and as I am talking to you, last month salary has been paid and if the state like Imo, Osun and so many other states could not pay up to five, seven or ten month salary to their workforces so is an achievement honestly. That is why the governor had mentioned it recently that the proposed Gusau Airport is named as Umar Aliyu Shinkafi Airport which he stand because he want to pay up to sixty percent of the project right away so that it will not be none stop project when they started and this Airport certainly will touch the lives of people in the state and also enhance means of international commercial businesses as well as boosting the state’s sources of generating revenue so is an achievement. So there are a lot of plan which the government will make to enhance living conditions of the entire people of the state in the near future.

To be continued...

Source: Gamji Reporters

Alhaji Umar Jibo Bukkuyum is currently serving as commissioner of information culture and tourism in the administration of Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state, in this interview with Gamji Reporters at his resident in Gusau the state capital recently, he spoke on Zamfara state @ 20, development recorded and its prospects as well as some national development; excerpts;-



GR: Sir, how can you assess the level of progress attained since the creation of Zamfara in 1996 under the previous and present administration?

Well, as we all know and as we have seen, twenty years is a very long journey and certainly one can assess even from his own self that for the last twenty years of Zamfara state, he will note that there is a lot of changes and transformations in him,talk less of the governance because in a governance in the sense that, it is because of dare needs of some developmental projects or issues that had to touch the lives of the entire people of Zamfara state that the struggle was made so as to get the state which at the end certainly have a kind of equality about the sharing of the national cake that was why the agitation and we all know people have that idea to see that they have developed that kind of competition you know in between other places that have attained the state ship in the nation and how will we quite ourselves with them, therefore there are a lot of changes and there are a lot of development you know when we compared what we are in the last twenty years and as many people have said before the creation of Zamfara state we have less local government areas, less emirate councils in the state but now we have 14 local government areas, 17 emirate councils and looking at Gusau for example being the state capital before the creation of the state is just a local government headquarters and certainly you can’t expect Gusau to be what it was in the last twenty years, so there are a lot of development and transformation in terms of infrastructures, I mean when you go to the local government areas were some of them then they don’t have good roads network but now we have the roads all over our local government areas headquarters and the villages nearby local governments are now motor able as compared that time where local governments and the state was not created, we also have many secondary schools established and we have primary schools across our villages where before the creation of the state they can’t expect to have these schools, we have water scheme which before the creation of the state we don’t have them, we also have higher institutions established which include collage of health science and technology, polytechnic, college of education, school of nursing and midwifery, Zamfara college of art and sciences, college of agriculture among others which was established from 1996 to date by the state government as a result of the creation of Zamfara state and when you look at present administration of Governor Abdulaziz Yari, it tried to say yes, it is high time for the Zamfarawas to come together and celebrate 20 years of the creation of their state and certainly according to His exellency the executive governor of Zamfara state Dr. Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar said yes all his predecessors have contributed their own quota for the development of the state and people will have to appreciate what they have done, however, when we look at present administration, certainly there are a lot of achievements recorded and it is really on the ground and believe you me that there is no state in Nigeria where the president and vice president within three consecutive months have visited for commissioning some developmental projects except Zamfara state, we will recalled that in last June, President Muhammadu Buhari had came to Zamfara and commissioned some developmental projects that have direct bearing to the entire people of the state and just last Friday the Vice President Prof. Yomi Osinbanjo have also visited Zamfara state and commissioned developmental projects being executed by the present administration so is a welcome development to us. So if we are within this short time to say that we are going to pinpoint the areas of developments where from 1996 to date so this time will not even enough for us but certainly the creation of Zamfara have changed the entire living conditions of our people example in Gusau alone it is unimaginable because one will never expect rapid developments can be achieved within this shortest period of time, for example, when this administration came in 1999 to date, you imagine you are in Gusau you can’t believe what is now put in place the then we have only have one road that can take you if you are from Sokoto to the Funtua road being constructed by the military administrator the then Col. Jibrin Bala Yakubu but in this administration I think you can enter any where without any problem because Governor Abdulaziz Yari has opened up and that is what is development I mean roads network within the towns and villages that make it easy for people to move from one place to another easily and accessible. You can’t believe this our area in 2011 was full of potholes, no roads network but now it became motor able by this administration as if we are in the federal capital territory Abuja, so just recently during the fifth year anniversary a lot of important personalities were invited and commissioned some developmental projects in the area of water, health, rural electrification, education to mention but a few, and to round it up you can see just recently the celebration of 20 years anniversary was done and you imagine the people came and you hear what they said about Zamfara so we are particularly happy I think with this rapid development every other region will certainly agitated for the occasion of the state hence the creation of the state bring such a rapid developments within the area so we are happy to Almighty Allah that he gave us the state and we can see where we and why the celebration was made so that we will reflect back you know where we were before the creation of Zamfara state and we look at ourselves where we were now then we plan what we want to be tomorrow.

To be continued.

Source: Gamji reporters

Governor of Zamfara State, AbdulAziz Yari, has described the killing of eight people in the state over alleged blasphemy as unnecessary and satanic.

Eight students of the Abdu Gusau Polytechnic in Talata Mafara, Zamfara state were murdered on Tuesday, over allegation of blasphemy.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, yesterday, he said so far, no arrest had been made but vowed that the culprits would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said the practice of people taking laws into their hands was unacceptable as there are proper channels to air grievances.

“I think what happened is unnecessary, and it’s not supposed to be in place, if not for the act of the devil.

“As at the time I left Zamfara, no arrest yet, immediately the incident happened, the school authority shut down the school. The police and DSS are carrying out their investigation and soon, there will be arrests,” he added

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) also condemned the killing of the students, yesterday.

In a statement by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, JNI said, “this recurring matter is becoming tediously monotonous and remains condemned in the strongest terms.

“The unfortunate attacks that ensued thereafter are criminal and also stand condemned. We reiterate that human lives are sacred and therefore must be dignified. That has been the position of Islam.

“JNI reemphasises that individual Muslims are not Jurists, but faithful in the practicing of the religion. Therefore, they don’t have the right to pass judgment on emotions.

“The nasty behaviour of some miscreants should not be misconstrued as the Islamic teaching. In the light of which we commend the efforts of the Zamfara State Government in nipping in the bud, the escalation of the crisis and equally the beefing up of security by the various security agencies, around Talata Mafara and its environs is also commendable,” the statement read.

Source: Leadership

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara State who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, has attributed the failure of some states to pay the West African School Certificates, WASC fees of their students to difficulties in ascertaining how much was actually involved.

The West African Examination Council, the body saddled with the responsibility of administering the examinations has recently complained that about 19 Nigerian States owed it about N4 billion in unpaid examinations fees.

WAEC which said the debt is affecting its operations had consequently threatened to withhold the results of candidates who wrote the May/June 2015 WASSCE from the 19 debtor states.

But Yari said the debtor States have not paid the fees because they are trying to ascertain the actual sum involved. The Governor, who said his State is also indebted to WAEC added that discussions to resolve the debt problems is already going on with the examination body.

“We are in that trouble. But the reason we are in that trouble is because we cannot ascertain the exact figure, which one is for the public, which one is for the private. It is a mix up. Some state governments need to verify between the WAEC and their ministries of education and other departments of education. So, that’s why some states cannot pay,” said Yari.

He also noted that some states which are offering free education and are also paying the WAEC examinations fees might have been affected by the ongoing financial crunch.
The Governor added that such states which are finding it difficult to pay salaries, may also not give regard to secondary expenses like payment of the examinations fees. He however added that the NGF will discuss with the Governor of the States affected for the sake of the children involved.

“I think it’s something that we will discuss with some of the governors concerned and WAEC so that we will be able to know how this thing should not happen because of the future of our children,” said Yari.

The Chairman of NGF added that financial bailout to states by the Federal Government was to prevent states from becoming failed states.

According to him, the Federal Government cannot fold its hands while the states are in trouble.

On the confiscation of some states’ shares of NLNG proceeds by banks, the NGF Chairman said the States must have been indebted to the banks before such action can be taken.

Source: The News

Nasir el-Rufai- Governor of Kaduna state.
Governor Nasir Ahdmad Elrufai led State Government in Kaduna State has Kick started Industrial Entrepreneurial Revolution with the commencement of the initial training of 5000 successful applicants drown from the 23 local governments.
The pragramme tagged KAD- STEP is in collaboration with Bank of Industry, (BOI) and Kaduna Business School which are providing the start up Loan and faculty respectively for the young entrepreneurs.
According to them, the entreprenours would be trained on how to actualize their business proposals into reality.‬

The state Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai represented by Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mohammed Abdullahi Sani said the program is part of the efforts of the state government to make the state great again.

"Be aware that there are many people that want this opportunity so it is key to make a success of the programme. It is an opportunity to change your life.‬

"The bank of industry has always been there but people have not been really equipped to access it and that is what the program is all about. The success will be determined by the number of people you are able to employ.‬

"Our hope is to see you people successful, because this programme is very close to the heart of the state Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai and will want to see you succeed, so that he can bring in others," he said.

Regional Head, North West, of the Bank of Industry (BOI) Ibrahim Bissallah explained that Key to success in every business is anchored on access to finance and knowledge.

"We are going to give you the necessary support and encouragement and we are looking towards to other states to emulate what Kaduna State Government has done," he said.

The Guest Speaker, Captain Daniel Omale insisted that Business is the way to go in the new world order, advising President Muhammadu Buhari that it is time to leave oil alone. "Oil prices are going down and what is the way forward. Government need to diversify from oil."‬

He therefore advice the successful applicants to be serious with the program and that they can succeed, even where others have failed. "You might falter but at the end of the day you will succeed if you are committed."‬

Source: Pulse.ng