As part of efforts to address myriad of challenges facing Northern Nigeria, Governors of the region have been asked to emulate Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State.
Governor El-Rufa’i’s Special Assistance on Youth, Hon. Aliyu AbdulRahaman Haruna made the call in his 60th birthday tribute to the Governor, saying that, El-Rufa’i stands out as a patriotic, astute and visionary leader worthy of emulation.
Haruna said, those who are conversant with the good antecedence of Governor El-Rufa’i, right from his days in Bureau for Public Enterprise and later as Minister of the Federal Capital territory, are not in any way, startled by his excellent leadership style.
According to Haruna, “The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II has said it all, when he highlighted the challenges of Northern Nigeria during the birthday ceremony of the my principal. And he said, El-Rufa’i is a Governor that is addressing the real challenges, through education for all, good nutrition for all, women empowerment and many other ways.
“Space would not permit me to enumerate the successes of Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i but, it is a common knowledge that Governor El-Rufa’i was the first to start the Free School Feeding Programme of the All Progressives Congress Government. Under the scheme, 18,000 food vendors were employed across the state (who in turn hired about three additional hands each, amounting to 72, 000 jobs created.)
“His visionary leadership stems from his belief that education is the foundation for the general development of any society, state or Nation. This is why he has been giving education the desired attention. Even though he inherited 349 dilapidated secondary schools as well as 80% of the 4200 public primary schools that were equally dilapidated, Gov El-Rufa’i took it upon himself to fix the schools and today the schools have been transformed.
“His government established six additional Science secondary schools – two in each of the three senatorial districts (Hunkuyi, Pambeguwa, Rigachikun, Buruku, Jere and Manchok). He also provided 15,000 sets of computers to 31 boarding schools, 564 tables and chairs for teachers, 3,038 magnetic boards, 455,928 sets of uniforms and 770,000 units of furniture for over one million pupils/students who hitherto sat on bare floor in the schools. Governor El-Rufa’i went further to recruit 11,335 qualified primary school teachers.
“His Government has also taken the lead in attracting many investments to the state and equally made land acquisition and certification very easy through the introduction of Kaduna Geographic Information System (KADGIS). The popular Olam Feeds Factory and Hatchery and many others are testimonies of the investor -friendly atmosphere created by the Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i also has to his credit the following projects: the Kaduna Cab Scheme, Modernization of Primary Health Centres across the 23 LGAs in the State, introduction of foreign scholarships for undergraduates studies, Zaria Water Project, UAC Shopping Mall, Textile Stimulus Package, Pampaida Millennium Village, Clean Kaduna Initiative, Physically Challenged Rehabilitation Centres, Rehabilitation/Construction/Dualisation of Township Roads & Street Lights, KASTELEA Youth Empowerment Scheme and the introduction of new Pension Law – apart from approving N30,000 as minimum pension for pensioners on the old scheme.
“Security is one area that Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i is paying avid attention. I can still recollect how the Governor’s salient and silent effort saw to the recovery of over 2,000 cattles that were rustled by bandits. Few months ago, the Kaduna State Government procured and distributed 85 vehicles and motorcycles to support security agencies – all in an effort to ensure that the state is well secured.
“Also, his effort in promoting peace is yielding good results as inter-communal tensions have given way to mutual trust. The passionate effort of the Kaduna State Government in the area of security can simply be captured in the words of Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i who said recently that: “We cannot relent in tackling criminals who seek to make our communities and highways unsafe. Aside from boots on the ground, we have acquired and put at the disposal of the security agencies, technology that can assist the state to fight back and re-assert its authority. We have also established the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to focus and coordinate our efforts and cooperation with the security agencies.”
“Above all, his Urban Renewal Projects are revolutionary transforming Kaduna State into a great industrial hub. By all standards, Governor El-Rufa’i has cleared the doubt of all – even the doubting Thomases have now come to agree that Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i is a patriotic, selfless, prudent and sincere leader who is working tirelessly to make Kaduna great again!” He enumerated.
Hon. Haruna however argued that, if Governors of other Northern states emulate the policies and programmes of Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, most of the challenges facing the region will be addressed.
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