Northern Groups Thumbs Up Gov. Abba for Prioritising Education, Human Capital Development, in Kano State

Daily Rendezvous 

- All Northern Govs Should Emulate Gov. Abba Yusuf

Two northern groups, the North East Youth Progressive Union and the Coalition for Democratic Rights Group, led by Dr. Kabir Hassan Sambo, have called on all northern governors to create policies that advances youths in the region and especially once with direct impacts on educational and human capital development of the region as is clearly exemplified by the governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, in the last five months of his time in office.

The group said the north has remained backward in terms of development compared to other regions in the country, and that Kano state governor, Abba, has already set the pace for a forward thinking northern Nigeria by sponsoring over 6000 thousand indigenes for post graduate studies in India, paying the tuition fees of thousand of indegenes studying at various tertiary institutions of learning, paying the NECO fees of over 57,000 secondary schools students, among other inititives that supports his plans for furthering youth and human capital development in the state.

Sambo made the remarks at a press conference Wednesday, in Yola, Adamawa state.

Sambo said that there seems to be an attempt to truncate the new emerging developmental leadership in northern  Nigeria masterminded by some political power brokers in northern Nigeria.

Speaking on the situation of northern Nigeria, Kabir Sambo said, Northern Nigeria has not experience significant progress compared to other regions of the country due to poor leadership and self interest and that governors in northern Nigeria should take governance lessons from the present governor of Kano state and improve the quality of life of their people and make the north proud.

He said, as residents of the northeast, they are not unmindful of the role Kano state plays in the economic and political dynamics of the region hence, the attempt to aust Gov. Abba out of office has attracted the attention of the entire youthful community in the north as Gov. Abba's exemplary leadership has raised the hopes of millions of youths in the region.

Hassan Sambo said, "We have cause to invite you here today to brief you on a matter that is dear to our members, especially as it relates to the development of youths in Adamawa and the North Eastern part of our country Nigeria. 

"We have noted that development, including that of human capacity has not been at the same rate in the country. There is a disparity between the Northern and Southern parts of the country. Consequently, we have a situation in which our brothers and sisters from across the Niger make jest of our situation and this must stop! 

"We are therefore calling on Governors from the north east and by extension the entire Northern Governors to emulate the good work of Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State in the Education and capacity building sectors. 

"It is worthy of note that Governor Yusuf within the last five months has paid for the Tuition, Feeding, and Accommodation of about 1001 Post Graduate students to India. He has also paid the Senior Secondary school examination fees (NECO) for 57,000 students, Tuition fees of 7,000 students at Bayero University, and tertiary institution students in Kano are now granted 50% discount on their fees. Furthermore, he has reopened 26 Skills acquisition institutes for training and empowerment of residents of Kano State. 

"Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf has also procured and distributed education support materials to over nine thousand schools with over three million pupils benefiting from uniforms, books, computers and other teaching/learning aids

   

"These programs will not only help develop Kano and its people, but will have a knock-on positive effect in Northern Nigeria as a whole. We therefore encourage Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to continue his giant strides in good governance."

"These strides in Kano have gotten the people of Kano excited and the youth of Northern Nigeria have their hopes raised high with the prioritisation of education and human capital development. 

"We are aware that the Tribunal sacked this man that has renewed the hope of the youths in Northern Nigeria. As with the youth in Kano, the Northern youths are watching the appeal process. There must be Justice, justice is the bedrock of democracy and if the judicial system fails the people, then democracy is in jeopardy," Sambo explains.

The groups contested that, "We are not unmindful of the role kano state plays as the center of commerce and political activities of Northern Nigeria both in the past and present, it is therefore absolutely necessary for the northern political gladiators to play politics that will bring succour to the people and not otherwise.

"Let us not easily forget also, the role played by the Kano State government to the people of north east during our trying times, the time of boko haram, when our people were displaced. Thousands of household were received and accommodated by the Kano state government,  widows were trained on different skill acquisition, and orphans enrolled to various schools. Currently the banditry crises looming the north western part of the country, Kano state is at the forefront of receiving displaced persons and catering for their wellbeing. It is on this premise that we call upon all stakeholders to treat with caution and allow democratic principles to prevail for the sake of our people in the north."