By Rabiu Sunusi
The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has expressed that Kano State has made significant achievements in various spheres of human endeavor over the past year.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Wednesday.
Addressing the people of Kano during a Democracy Day celebration at the Kano Government House, the governor remarked on the challenges posed by certain detractors who sought to contest the divine will and the support of the majority of Kano State residents who voted in favor of his leadership.
Governor Yusuf mentioned that his administration faced numerous legal obstacles, spending over eight months navigating various court proceedings to safeguard their mandate.
Nonetheless, he emphasized the considerable successes attained in different sectors throughout the year.
In the domain of Human Capital Development, the government prioritized skills acquisition, empowering the youth and women, and promoting high-level manpower advancement.
As part of their electoral commitment, the administration initiated monthly empowerment initiatives for women and youth, providing each beneficiary with a capital injection of N50,000 to invest in Small and Medium Enterprises.
Presently, 5,200 women from all 44 Local Governments have benefited from this program and will continue to do so regularly.
Youth Empowerment programs, including support for Traffic Traders/Hawkers, have also been launched, with each recipient receiving a capital injection of N50,000 to bolster their trade.
These empowerment schemes are ongoing on a monthly basis and are intended to encompass all deserving individuals in the State.
Furthermore, the governor approved the reactivation of the 21 Skills Acquisition Institutes, initiating training programs to young individuals with both soft and hard skills across various trades and enterprises, promoting an ethos of entrepreneurialism.
The government allocated significant resources to sponsor 1,001 first-class graduates to foreign universities, enabling them to pursue advanced degrees in diverse disciplines. These students are expected to complete their post-graduate education by the end of this year.
Additionally, the administration extended support to Kano State natives studying in tertiary institutions in various states, covering their registration fees as an act of compassion and support.
Recognizing the weight of accumulated pensioner debts, Governor Yusuf authorized the disbursement of 11 billion Naira, distributed in two install to over 5,000 pensioners in the initial phase. The second tranche, totaling 5 billion Naira, is set for imminent distribution, offering substantial relief and positively impacting numerous households in the State.
Moreover, as a fulfillment of a campaign pledge, the administration organized and sponsored a mass wedding for 1,800 couples, providing each couple with essential provisions for their new life together.
In response to prevalent poverty exacerbated by inflation and escalating commodity prices, the government implemented measures to alleviate the hardships experienced by the populace.
A defining characteristic of the administration has been its compassionate approach, exemplified by the distribution of rice and assorted grains on five separate occasions to the most vulnerable members of society.
The State Government procured over 270 trailer loads of rice and 70 trailer loads of maize, distributing the supplies to all polling units in the 484 across the 44 Local Government Councils.
Approximately 820,600 households benefited from these palliatives.
Furthermore, the State Government sponsored the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration for approximately 6,000 students and covered the registration fees of over 121,687 Kano State students National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), incurring costs exceeding 2.9 billion Naira.
