THE 11 POINT AGENDA OF NAMADI SAMBO
-
Security for Peace and
Development
-
Free and Compulsory Primary
Education and General Development of the
Education Sector
-
Intensive Agricultural
Development
-
Poverty Alleviation
-
Youths and Women Development
-
Infrastructural Development
-
Improved HealthCare Delivery
-
Industrial Regeneration
(Cottage and Urban Industries)
-
Provision of Housing for All,
Particularly the Low Income Earners and the
Civil Servants
-
Transformation of Our Rural
Areas to Modern Standards
-
Improved Welfare Package for
All Workers and Pensioners
OPERATION YAKI
It is a newly created
security taskforce codenamed “Operation Yaki" by
Gov Arc Namadi Sambo. The outfit, which comprises the
police, army, air force and other security agencies is an
initiative aimed at eradicating crime and to create a
fertile ground for enduring peace, tranquility and
development of the state with the mandate to address
the problem of the growing wave of crime and criminality
in the state
Already, seventy-five
vehicles made up of pickup vans and ambulances have been
provided in the first phase for police, army and air
force. There is also communication equipment including GPS
and armour for the operatives. 700 policemen and 500
mobile policemen were re-deployed to join military
personnel to create a highly mobile responsive and
flexible police force to phase out crime in the state.
Already Operation Yaki is a huge success with crime
rate reduced to about 60% and it is continuing to go down.
ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION
To alleviate poverty, the
Government is prequalifying interested indigines to get
taxi cabs at an affordable re-payment rate, along with
other measures like provision of social amenities through
micro credit scheme, agricultural loan scheme of N10, 000
and more, tractor hiring scheme, qualitative education system, free healthcare
services for pregnant women and children under age five,
jobs at the newly created railway transit intra-communal
system and scholarships. Contact relevant Ministry to
apply to benefit.
ENERGY
"We have established an agency for power generation and
have appointed consultants who are now preparing a
feasibility study for establishing small hydro power
plants as a long term solution, while arrangements have
reached an advance stage for the provision of fuel oil
power generating plants as an emergency solution pending
the completion of the hydro-power plants. The total power
expectation for the small hydro-plants is cumulative of
about 150mw while the emergency fuel oil power plant shall
be is between 50 to 100 mw to be developed in phases. Fuel
is expected to be supplied from the Kaduna Refining &
Petrochemical Company KRPC". Said the Governor
ON-GOING
PROJECTS IN KADUNA
In the
area of infrastructure, we are determined to complete the
road contracts we inherited worth N13.6 billion, so far a
total sum of N6 Billion has been expended as certified
works in the ongoing projects and we are happy to say that
the contractors are still on site and working round the
clock to complete the roads as scheduled. On our part, we
have awarded contracts for some roads for which works are
currently ongoing. However, the Gwarsa-Dande-Kasaya road
and the Soba-Bele-Sharifai road are ready for
commissioning while that of Jaban Kogo-G/Jibir-Daddu,
Saminaka-R/Duhu-Bauchi border, Hayin Gada- Dande-Kasaya,
Kudan-Damaski Maraban Kakiri, Mamman Yarwa, M/Dawaki-Dawaki
Kungi, Mariri-Geshere and the Makarfi City layout Major
Road are nearing completion.
All
these is intended to ensure proper connectivity. We have
started the Railway Transport system under a Public Public
Partnership (P.P.P.) with the Nigerian Railway and have
disbursed the sum of N65 million for the repair of coaches
and the initial take-off grant all in our efforts for the
provision of both adequate and cheap transportation system
to our people.
In our
development strides towards the construction of the new
town, we have developed a master plan which has been
completed. We have also employed consultants that are
currently working on the detailed designs for the
provision of the necessary infrastructure that include
roads, water, electricity supply and sewage treatment
systems.
ON e-GOVERNANCE IN
THE STATE
The Civil Service of the State has been rejuvenated. In
fulfillment of Government's pronouncement towards
achieving e-Governance, ICT training has been scheduled in
phases and Honourable Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries
as well as Chief Executive Officers of parastatals were
trained in ICT by a reputable firm. The scheme was put in
place to promote the optimal use of ICT in ensuring
efficient, transparent and accessible Government. This was
preceded by the distribution of two hundred (200) laptops
to honourable commissioners, special advisers, permanent
secretaries and chief executive of parastatals. Similarly,
the training of 8000 Civil Servants of various categories
as a first phase to ensure that the e-Governance
initiative covers the whole service was also approved.
Accordingly, the sum of N120 million has been released for
the training of that number of civil servants.
There is also the Namadi's ICT4D Action
Plan being formulated, which is expected to integrate of
all sectors of the economy in the state and to enhance the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
the Plan of Action of the World Summit of Information
Society (WSIS) and Africa regional development initiatives
as mapped out by the New Partnership for African
Development (NEPAD). The thrust is to provide a compass
with which the state could leapfrog its socio-economic and
political structures using ICTs as has been the case with
India and so many other countries. A new ICT Center is
being built with a Digital Control Environment to house
the state Database and coordinate the e-Governance
Roadmap, e-Library, incubators and state of the
art-conference hall among others.
MICRO CREDIT SCHEME
Our
focus on reducing poverty has led us to venture into
interest free loans which we have in the first instance
disbursed through micro-credit finance institutions. In
this direction, the total sum of N700m has been
appropriated for the purpose of micro-credit financing.
The second phase which is on-going will involve taking
inventory of our unemployed youths and women at home who
dearly need financial assistance for either developing or
enhancing their businesses. This is aimed at poverty
reduction and providing avenues for gainful employment by
our unemployed yet employable population. Already over 500
unemployed graduates have been employed as data survey
collectors to commence the exercise of data collection.
Other poverty reduction techniques we have applied include
the distribution of poverty alleviation machinery such as
water (irrigation) pumps, knitting and sewing machines to
beneficiaries in the 23 Local Government Areas of the
State. A total of 2000 water pumps, 300 knitting and 327
sewing machines were distributed to the beneficiaries for
their empowerment; Taxi Transport Scheme to Okada riders
through the issuance of licenses after successful training
and the granting of cars on subsidized and Interest-free
loans were embarked upon. A vehicle leasing company has
also been registered with the good intention to give
opportunity in boosting taxi and bus transportation
business in the State. Chalk and paint making was
propelled a step further towards the formation of cottage
industries where a total of 147 young men and women
successfully graduated as producers of chalk and paint.
Youths and Women programmes executed as capital projects
include construction work, rehabilitation and renovation
of Women Multi-Purpose Centre, reformatory schools,
children's homes and remand homes, social welfare office
and other wall-fencing were extended by the Ministry for
Women Affairs. All categories of staff of the Ministry
also enjoyed the micro-credit loans scheme involving
vehicles and housing loans and soon, it will be extended
to the populace.
FREE MEDICAL
TREATMENT FOR WOMEN
As
part of the efforts of the State to Improve Healthcare
delivery, free medical services for children below the age
of five years and pregnant women and Children Under Five
was introduced and pursued vigorously as the first phase.
The faculty of Medicine at the Kaduna State University (KASU)
is being established with the view to produce our own
doctors. The contract for the construction of the 200-bed
Specialist and Teaching hospital at the Eastern Sector
will soon commence where specialist medical facilities
will be provided to the extent of arresting intending
patients from traveling out of the State or the country
seeking for good medical services. It will also provide
the teaching infrastructure for first production of our
doctors. The University will also partner with foreign
universities in Germany for cooperative efforts, while the
state is sourcing for another avenue in Egypt.
In our
determination to arrest malaria as it constitutes about
50% of cases reported in our hospitals, we have declared
war on malaria and shall soon commence the fight with the
attack on all malaria infested sites so as to eradicate
mosquitoes that are responsible for its spread. Other
health related programmes shall be implemented including
additionally the construction of Primary Healthcare
Centers across the State. "We are concerned with our
immediate environment and have taken the pains to beautify
it. We have since launched the "Operation Keep Kaduna
Clean" and we are observing cleanliness. We shall soon
commence the process of landscaping the town to add to its
existing aesthetics" said Gov Sambo
ON
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture still remains the mainstay of our economy and
the largest employer of labour. With this in our minds, we
have placed agriculture in the front burner of our
programmes. We are creating an environment where all year
farming will take place. Designs for the provision of 60
irrigation schemes have been completed. Accordingly,
contracts for the construction of 8 irrigation schemes
have been awarded and the works are at various stages of
completion. This is aimed at creating a new and rich
environment. We are also improving our Extension Services
to the farmers and establishing new units in the Ministry
of Agriculture with the assistance of the Egyptian experts
so as to apply agricultural research techniques that will
assist farmers to improve their production.
For
this farming season, we have received 70,000 metric tones
of assorted fertilizer and are being sold to farmers at
about 60% subsidy. Pursuant to effective supply of farming
implements and fertilizer, we are still processing the
establishment of a fertilizer blending plant that will
enable farmers plan and produce their fertilizer according
to their needs. To address the global food problems and
ensure food security, grain Silo Projects in Birnin Gwari,
Kafanchan and Lere are currently under construction and
works have reached an advanced stage.
The
three silos have a combined capacity of 30,000 metric
tones while the existing one in Zaria has a capacity of
10,000 metric tones. With these, the State will have
storage facilities for 40,000 metric tones of grains. To
encourage more farmers to produce more and to find a ready
market for the agricultural goods produced by these
farmers; Government has decided to set up the Kaduna State
Commodity Marketing Board. This will assure farmers that
their production will easily and readily be absorbed by a
ready market and will encourage large production.
We
have also re-introduced the Tractor Hiring Scheme to
enable farmers have access to tractors at affordable costs
to augment their lean finances. We shall be launching the
Agricultural Loan Scheme which we plan to disburse through
farmers cooperatives. To encourage Cotton production, we
are benefiting from the Federal Government financial
support through NEXIM Bank and are securing, for our
cotton farmers, the sum of N2billion this farming
season which we believe shall contribute toward the
revival of cotton production amongst our farmers.
Governor
Arch Mohammed Namadi Sambo is a true democrat, whose approach to problems is
always humane and conciliatory he is a man of peace who patiently looked to
the future with courage and hope. His commitment in the direction of
transforming the state into a relatively better integrated and functional
polity is continuing with a mission to create a stable and cohesive
polity capable of securing effectively the interests of the various
communities and giving them the opportunity to develop and live in peace
with one another.
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