By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
Kaduna State Government is trying to restore the inclusivity and the togetherness of Kaduna town in order to make a home for all Nigerians as it used to be in the past.
Governor Nasir El Rufai who made this known on Friday during the commissioning of the Kaduna Nigerian Immigration Service Command Building, noted many great Nigerians lived in Kaduna .
The governor however lamented that the city is now divided due to the incessant communal clashes that occurred in the state in the last two decades.
“Kaduna used to be home for all Nigerians, many great people lived their lives here. Some came here to go to school, some came just to attend the Defence Academy or Police College but it was such a hospitable and inclusive city that many have chosen to remain.
“Many of the retired generals, Air Marshall, Rear Admirals come back here to retire. Abuja has taken some of them, and the incessant communal clashes that divided the city have also discouraged some from coming back,’’ he noted.
El Rufai pointed out that many people have started returning because “more and more people are beginning to regard Kaduna as a low-cost option to Abuja.’’
“We thank the Buhari administration for the train link that has made movement very easy and the ongoing work to reconstruct the Kaduna-Abuja road,’’ he added.
The governor who thanked the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for gracing the occasion, told him ‘’ to consider requesting for a parcel of land with a view to develop barracks or a housing estate for the Nigerian Immigration Service.’’
“We will be very happy to provide that land, just as we have provided large parcels of land to the Nigerian military and the police. Kaduna is a garrison city, we are proud of the intensity of military and security presence here and we have benefitted from it,’’ he added.
El Rufai also said that he has always admired Aregbesola since when he was Osun state governor and was “investing in education, in primary healthcare, investing in infrastructure and generally focusing on human development.’’
“I was very curious to know how you were able to construct those beautiful multi-storey schools all across the state and of course your novel school feeding programme because Osun state was the first state in Nigeria to start a Home Grown Primary School Feeding Programme,’’ he said.
According to El Rufai, ‘’I was taking notes, not knowing that I was going to be the governor of Kaduna state. ‘’
‘’Upon assuming office, we sent a team to Osun state, to study your governance strategy and practices, particularly inhuman development, in addition to the school feeding programme.
‘’And Kaduna state became the second state in Nigeria to kick off a primary school feeding programme based on the Osun state model,’’ the governor added.
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Aregbesola described Governor El Rufai as someone whose utterances and actions advance the development of Nigeria.
According to the minister, he chose to attend the commissioning because he appreciates the leadership qualities of El Rufai.
Aregbesola disclosed that the office complex cost N280 million, restating that it is part of the federal government’s commitment to improve public facilities and ensure good working environment.
The minister also commended the management of NIS in ensuring that the command office complexes are built in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
