Ganduje approves ₦‎1.4 billion exam fees for poor Kano students

The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, announced this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the council meeting in Kano on Thursday.

Garba said the category of the benefitting students were those who obtained six credits and above, including English and Mathematics in regular secondary schools in Qualifying Examination and Senior Islamic and Tahfeez secondary school students.

He also disclosed that the council ratified the executive approval given for the release of naira equivalent to $100,000 to a state-dedicated account as a counterpart fund for the implementation of World Bank Supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transform Services (IMPACT) project aimed at improving poor health indices in the state through high impact interventions.

The commissioner pointed out that the overall focus of the project is immunisation, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) through accelerating the implementation of strategy for immunisation and the primary healthcare system.

He added that the project has the potential to be the foundation of implementing the minimum service package and revamping essential primary healthcare services.

Garba also announced the approval given by the council for the establishment of a management board for the upgraded and equipped Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH), which has since commenced postgraduate (Residency) training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radiology and Internal Medicine to serve as a source of critical manpower to the state and the country at large.

He further stated that the establishment of the board as contained in the draft hospital bill, would give the hospital the standard management structure to compete with any teaching hospital in the country.

The commissioner said Prof. Adamu Yakasai of Bayero University, Kano, would chair the board, with Dr Mariya Mahmoud and Dr Usman Tijjani Aliyu of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital; Dr Abdullahi Kauranmata and Dr Shehu Abdullahi, representatives of the state Ministry of Health; Dr Bukar Grema, representative of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA); Hisham Imamuddeen and Rabi Musa Ibrahim, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) representatives as members.

Other proposed members are representations from the Vice Chancellor's Office, Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano; Provost College of Medicine, Chief Medical Director, MAWTH; Chairman, Medical Advisory Commiteee/CMO MAWTH, while the hospital director of administration is to serve as secretary.

The council, according to him, has also given approval for the establishment of Private University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bichi town, Bichi Local Government Area, and allocation of a piece of land situated at Bichi town (Kofar Wambai) for the institution.

Garba also stated that the council has approved the enactment of law to address the unguarded blasphemous sermons on the noble Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him as well as attacks on personalities.

He said the law would harmonise the mode of preaching through sermons that included open preaching in open places, hate speech or defamation of character through radio, television, newspaper or any other conventional platform and social media, attack on the leadership of the opposite sect and incitement of followers.

The commissioner further revealed that the council also approved the establishment of a strong Council of Ulamah through an enabling law from the state House of Assembly to monitor, supervise and regulate all religious sermons in the state.