We spent over N1 billion on rural electrification -- Shekarau
By MUHAMMAD BELLO, Assistant Editor, Sunday Triumph

JUSTIFYING his administration’s emphasis on human development, Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has disclosed that over N1 billion has so far been expended on the electrification of 204 villages across the state.
Gov. Shekarau who was recounting his achievements since 2003 during a phone-in Hausa programme – Hannu da yawa on FRCN, Kaduna, Saturday, explained that this was done to show that human development entails improving every sector that affects human life.
He said, his administration also initiated constituency projects, which give each and every member of the state’s House of Assembly the opportunity to work closely with people of his constituency in order to come up with a viable project that they want the government to execute for them.
‘’These projects, many of which have been completed, have transformed the lives of the rural people. What is important to note is the fact that all the legislators, irrespective of their party affiliations, got equal opportunities to present their people’s projects and get them executed. The PDP members in the House can testify to this,’’ the governor emphasized.
Governor Shekarau also said that women and youths empowerment programmes were also given serious consideration by his administration. ‘’Many projects in these respects gulped about N226 million. We also did not neglect the development of Qur’anic education,’’ he said.
Other achievements listed by the governor are the employment of 9,000 Hisbah guards to cover the 884 wards in the state. He said the Shari’a Commission under which these guards work have resolved over 20,000 conflicts in various communities while over 10,000 women caring for orphans have received occupational and material assistance from the Zakkat Commission.
The governor said his administration has employed 20,102 teachers at all levels of education in the state.
He enumerated more achievements: execution of 137 capital projects in the health sector, awarding of N5.6 billion contract for the construction of Tamburawa water treatment plant, and modernization of agriculture.
It could be recalled that this is Governor Shekarau’s seventh phone-in programme on the same medium since the governor was sworn-in on May 29, 2003.
Over two dozen bureaucrats, politicians and aides of the governor accompanied him to the venue.
The entourage include commissioners for environment and local government, Alhaji Garba Yusuf Abubakar and Alhaji Musa Sulaiman Shanono, permanent secretaries of health and information, Dr. Ali Musa and Alhaji Imam Ahmad Zubair respectively.
The three state-owned media organizations led by their chief executives were also part of the entourage. They are Farouk Umar Usman (CTV); Mahmoud Adnan Audi, (Triumph); Sani Muhammadu Usman (Radio Kano) represented by Yunusa Kachako.
Also on the entourage were Alhaji Garba Madaki, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Kurawa, Nuhu Ya’u, Dankaka Usaini Bebeji, Alhaji Bashir and Alhaji Shitu Marafa Gaya.
Alhaji Habibu Sale Minjibir, Dayyabu Alkassum Rimin Gado, Abdullahi Muhammad, Muhammad S. Ado, Bello Sani Galadanchi and Muhammad Danyaro made the list.
Others were Alhaji Zubairu Wudil, Abdullahi Isa, A.A. Kurawa, Abdullahi Rogo, Mustapha Gwadabe and Sule Ya’u Sule, the governor, director of press and public relations among others.