ZUL-QA’ADAH 23 1430 A.H.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER . 11 2009.
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Shekarau: Architect of modern Kano
By MUSTAPHA AHMAD GWADABE
MALAM (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau, the incumbent executive governor of Kano state has proved a worthy leader of his people. His humanitarian disposition, coupled with his firm belief in following due process and accountability has earned him the love and respect of the good people of Kano state and beyond. Right from inception of the Shekarau administration in 2003, the amiable governor made it clear that his administration will focus on the concept of human development, while promoting self reliance and productivity among the citizens.
During the first four years of the Shekarau administration, between 2003 – 2007, several people-oriented policies and programmes were executed with the view to develop the human capital, both socially, economically and politically. On the social scale, the administration established for the first time, the state Directorate for Societal Reorientation (DSR), popularly known as A Daidaita Sahu. The programme is a wake-up call for the people to imbibe the spirit of moral and spiritual uprightness, while inculcating cherished norms and values in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence.
On the economic front, the Shekarau administration, having taken into cognizance the hardship through which the people were going, embarked upon a massive economic empowerment drive with the view to encouraging self reliance as well as tackling the notorious problem of unemployment among the teeming majority of the citizens.
The administration's genuine concern for improving the people's welfare generally saw the execution of several empowerment programmes in which both male and female citizens were trained in their chosen fields. Perhaps the principal beneficiaries of the Shekarau administration's drive for human development are the youths. The state's Directorate for Youth Development (DYD) has tremendously succeeded in designing various vocational training programmes, covering menial and technical jobs like welding, carpentry, painting sewing, knitting and computer (information) technology for the youths. This initiative has tremendously impacted positively on the youths as most of them are now gainfully, self-employed; they are financially independent and economically productive.
Moreover, apart from successfully implementing its human development drive, the policy thrust of the administration, other critical sectors like education, health, agriculture, commerce and industries were equally reformed towards good, quality services delivery. Similarly, on assumption in office, the executive 'People's Governor' discovered that the perennial scarcity of water was among the major problems confronting the people in the state. In his commitment to overcome the problem however, the governor embarked upon a gigantic water project to the admiration of all.
After conducting extensive research on how best to improve supply of potable water and following due process, which is the hallmark of the administration, the Kano state government came up with the multibillion Naira Tamburawa water works. The gigantic project, unarguably the biggest in the whole of West African sub-region, was designed with the capacity to provide an additional 1.5 million litres of potable water daily to the teeming population of the state metropolis and environs. Though the project has since been completed and is currently operational, lack of adequate, constant electricity supply at the water treatment plant is hindering production at full capacity.
To underscore government commitment to the task of providing enough potable water to the populace, the Shekarau administration, yet again came up with the idea of constructing another water treatment plant, with the same capacity (1.5 million litres daily), at Bagwai. The objective is to provide additional water supply to some local government areas within Kano North Senatorial district, in addition to some parts of Kano municipality.
In the health sector, the Shekarau administration has made a remarkable impact as far as healthcare services is concerned. Apart from the fact that no any previous administration in the state – whether military or civilian – has built more hospitals than the incumbent administration, it is equally noteworthy that, there had never been any administration in the state that has employed more doctors and medical personnel. Recently, the state government commissioned the Abubakar Imam Urology Center to carter for patients who hitherto had to travel abroad for treatment of urology – related cases.
Moreover, two new hospitals are presently under construction as part of the Shekarau administration's policy to make healthcare services accessible to the people. These new hospitals are the Children Specialist Hospital at Zoo road, and the General Hospital at Giginyu quarters in Kano city. This is in addition to the rehabilitation work carried out in all the General Hospitals across the state, while state-of-the-art machineries and other medical equipment were purchased and supplied to the various public hospitals in the state.
On the untiring efforts being made by the administration towards developing the education sector, the Kano state government, under a former teacher – governor has successfully left an indelible mark. The government, mindful of the prevailing economic reality started by abolishing the payment of school fees in all girls secondary schools in the state. This policy is in line with the government objective to encourage the girl-child education as advocated for by the UNICEF. Similarly, in order to raise the number of students in public schools and make quality education accessible to children of the commoners, the state government, likewise, abolished payment of school fees in all the Science and Technical Colleges across the state.
Part of the educational reform policy of the Shekarau administration entails construction of additional primary and secondary schools in all the nooks and corners of the state, while additional teaching staff have been employed to impart sound knowledge to the pupils and students. Apart from constructing new schools, the old, existing ones were equally refurbished and equipped with all the necessary items like chairs, desks and other laboratory equipment. Consequently, now more than ever before, public school buildings have the requisite conducive atmosphere for effective learning.
In this regard, the Shekarau administration has successfully completed renovation of 6 major boarding secondary schools in the state. These include the Government Secondary School, GSS Gwarzo; Government Girls Secondary School, GGSS Jogana; Government Secondary School, GSS Rano; SSS Dawakin Tofa; SSS Dawakin Kudu; and Government Girls College, GGC Dala. As a result of their complete renovation, these schools now meet the required standard for learning.
Considering the fact that the executive governor, Malam Shekarau was a former teacher – principal in his civil service career, it is not surprising at all why the administration gives premium to education sector. From inception of the administration to date, no fewer than 100 new junior and senior secondary schools have been established across the state, while thousands of additional classroom blocks have been built with the sole aim of decongesting the number of students in a given classroom.
In the same vein, all the government-owned tertiary institutions in the state have benefited one way or the other in the administration's educational reform. For instance, the Kano state University of Technology, Wudil has been adequately equipped with additional structures and sundry learning materials, including machineries and other educational tools. This development has clearly helped in persuading the National Universities Commission (NUC) to accredit the university's courses.
Indeed, Malam (Dr.) Ibrahim Shekarau's popularity among the good and proud people of Kano state is anchored on his unique humanitarian disposition. The governor's genuine concern for improving the wellbeing of the people through good governance and accountability has earned him the love and respect of many. For instance, pension arrears, which payment was hitherto difficult and stalled by unnecessary bureaucracies by the previous administration is currently settled on time. Pension earners in the state now collect their entitlements as at when due. The incumbent administration has successfully settled the backlog of pension arrears owed the state pensioners amounting to several billions of Naira, while the government made sure that pensioners regularly receive their entitlements every month end.
The Kano state Ramadan feeding programme, initiated by the incumbent Shekarau administration is another evidence of the state government welfarist orientation. That the Ramadan feeding initiative, the first of its kind the whole of Northern Nigeria, was conceived to help the poor, needy people is a clear indication of the administration's concern for the improved welfare of the citizens. The programme was lauded and well accepted in virtually every nook and corner of the state. In fact, it was because of the phenomenal success of the Ramadan feeding programme as pioneered by the Shekarau administration that more and more sister Northern states are following in the footsteps of the Kano state government.
By virtue of Kano city as the center of commerce and trading, the Shekarau administration, having carefully examined the factors responsible for the dwindling economic fortunes of the state, declared its unalloyed commitment towards reviving the lost glory of Kano as the epicenter of commercial activities. In line with the above declaration, however, the government, in collaboration with the private sector, organized the first-ever Kano Economic Summit with the view to achieving the desired objective.
In its avowed commitment to transform commerce to international standard, the Shekarau administration decided to embark upon yet another gigantic, multi-billion Naira project: The Kano Economic city – otherwise known as the KANAWA International Market. Accordingly, one of the main aim of establishing the market is basically to decongest the age-long Kantin Kwari, Kwanar Singer and Rimi Markets that are spread across the Kano municipality. This is in view of the burgeoning population of the state, which is adjudged the most populated in the country during the last 2006 national census exercise. The policy objective is to build an alternative business and commercial center outside the confines of the old Kano city, with the view to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The on-going construction of the KANAWA International Market, along the Eastern by-pass is equally conceived to serve as a tourist attraction site with multiplier economic benefit to both the indigenous investors and the state government.
The KANAWA project is being executed in phases and has been touted as Africa's biggest economic city. When completed the project will redefine modern business transaction in the whole of West African sub-region. It is designed to provide attractive atmosphere for both local and international investors, while it is expected to boost tourism potentials of the state and enhance commercial activities. According to the project's masterplan, the phase I of the project, the KANAWA World Trade Center, currently under construction, features a shopping mall complex, a Five-Star Hotel, an approximate 15, 000 shops, warehouses, four petrol stations, a trailer park to accommodate 400 trucks, luxury bus park, 15 banks, restaurants, police and fire stations and many more.
This particular project and many other gigantic projects, like the state urban renewal policy are part of the Shekarau administration's concerted efforts to restore the past glory and enviable reputation of Kano economic fortunes. Our hope and prayer is that, these gigantic, multibillion Naira projects, when completed, will put Kano on the map of international business community, not only within the African continent but on the global stage.
These are the legacies of Malam Shekarau: The architect of modern Kano!
Mustapha Ahmad Gwadabe is Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Deputy Governor's Office, Kano.
