Tag: Kaduna govt

  • Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Many Victims Unaccounted For – Kaduna Govt

    Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack: Many Victims Unaccounted For – Kaduna Govt

    Several passengers who boarded the train that was attacked on Monday night are yet to be accounted for, according to the Kaduna State government.

    Daybreak had reported how terrorists bombed a section of the Kaduna-Abuja rail track, forcing the train, which departed Abuja at 6pm on Monday to derail.

    After that, they opened fire on passengers, abducting some and killing others.
    In the latest update on the rescue operation, Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said while eight corpses had been recovered, 26 people who were injured were receiving treatment.

    He said according to the record obtained from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 362 persons boarded the train.

    “The Kaduna State Government has received from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the detailed passenger manifest for the Abuja-Kaduna train service AK9 which was attacked by terrorists on Monday.

    “According to the documents received, 398 passengers bought tickets for the trip, but 362 were validated as having boarded the train through the recognized turnstile.

    “The passenger manifest does not include NRC staff and security officials who were on board.

    “Furthermore, security agencies have reported that eight bodies were recovered and 26 persons were injured during the attack. Investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the status of the passengers who were on board the train and remain unaccounted for at the time of this update. Search operations are also being sustained.”

  • Kaduna Govt Pays N1.2bn Death Benefits, Gratuity to Families of Deceased Civil Servants

    Kaduna Govt Pays N1.2bn Death Benefits, Gratuity to Families of Deceased Civil Servants

    The Kaduna State Government has commenced the payment of death benefits and gratuity to families of deceased and retired civil servants amounting to N1.2 billion.

    The amount is for both state and local government workers who have retired or died while in service.

    At the official distribution of the cheques to families of deceased civil servants at the Kaduna State government house, the Executive Secretary of State Pension Bureau, Professor Salamatu Isah, said N1,035,000,000 will be allocated for the payment of the retirees and families of the deceased in the 23 local governments.

    The Executive Secretary further explained that the amount will be the 14th payment schedule under the local government gratuity for retirees and Next-of-Kins of deceased beneficiaries.

    She, however, debunked rumours that seven local government areas have paid all their outstanding gratuities and death benefits under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

    The Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe who handed over the cheques to relatives of the deceased civil servants, says apart from the payment of death benefits and gratuity, the government has also initiated some programmes and policies that are geared towards improving the welfare of civil servants in the state.

  • Kaduna Govt Will Sack More Underqualified Teachers – El-Rufai

    Kaduna Govt Will Sack More Underqualified Teachers – El-Rufai

    The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said his administration will sack more underqualified secondary school teachers across the state this year.

    This is as he lamented that some secondary school teachers only have primary school certificates but are teaching in public secondary schools.

    El-Rufai said this on Thursday morning during the weekly ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential media team.

    He revealed that his government has hired more people than it has sacked in the last five years.

    “We have hired over 40,000 civil servants in the last five years, most of them being nurses, midwives and teachers,” the Governor explained.

    He said at the time of the briefing, 7,700 qualified secondary school teachers have been employed and would be deployed once he is done purging secondary schools of underqualified teachers.

    The former FCT Minister explained that his overarching goal is to raise the standard of the public schools in Kaduna; one he can be confident enough to send his son to.

    He, however, revealed that although his son was enrolled in a public school, he reverted to homeschooling due to threats of kidnapping which may put other children at risk.

  • Kaduna Govt to spend N8.2bn on Primary Healthcare in 2022

    Kaduna Govt to spend N8.2bn on Primary Healthcare in 2022

    The Kaduna State Government is to spend N8.2 billion on primary healthcare in 2022.

    This is contained in the budget of N278.6 billion signed by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai on Dec. 22 and obtained by the NAN in Kaduna on Wednesday.

    The document showed that of the N8.2 billion allocated to the state Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCDB), N5.8 billion was earmarked for capital projects while N2.5 billion was for recurrent expenditure.

    It also showed that N4.3 billion was earmarked for the construction, renovation and upgrading of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), 255 health clinics, reconstruction of PHCB Headquarters and consultancy services.

    Also, N233.6 million was allocated for the procurement of personal protective equipment for 1,154 health facilities for the prevention of COVID-19, while N25.5 million was earmarked for preventive maintenance of equipment in 255 PHCs

    A total of N954.3 million was earmarked as counterpart for various health projects, including Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

    The document further showed that N100 million would be spent on the procurement of basic tools and consumables for Community Health Influencers, Promoters Service Agents (CHIPS) and mobile outreaches.

    The government also allocated N136.6 million for the provision of solar power for the second phase of 255 PHCs being upgraded.

    Similarly, N52.3 million would be spent on repairs and routine maintenance of solar systems in 34 PHCs across the state.

    NAN reports that the N5.8 billion allocated for the PHCDB for capital projects was less than the N8.9 billion allocated in 2021.

  • Kaduna Govt. Bans Social Gathering in School Premises

    Kaduna Govt. Bans Social Gathering in School Premises

    The Kaduna State Government has banned all social events, weddings, shows and entertainment in public school premises.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Yusuf Saleh, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

    Saleh said that the move was to protect school infrastructure from vandals.

    “For a very long time, some of our schools were being used for all kinds of activities, and at the end of the day, school facilities were being vandalised.

    “Every day, we receive complaints and demands from citizens to construct, renovate or fix one facility or the other in schools and this involves a lot of money.

    “It is, therefore, critical to take proactive steps to protect the school’s infrastructure and this is one of such steps,” he said.

    He disclosed that a circular had already been sent to all the principals and head teachers in secondary and primary schools, directing them to stop giving out school premises for events and social gatherings.

    He said that some of the schools do not have fences, stressing that plans were underway to construct perimeter fences in all schools across the state.

    He added that the ministry was also strengthening partnership and collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs and Kaduna State Vigilant Service to provide the needed security in schools.

    According to him, the efforts will help address the security challenges affecting the smooth operation of some schools in the state.

    Reacting to the development, the Citizens Co-Chair, Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM), Mr. Tijjani Aliyu, commended the state government for responding to the citizens’ call to protect school facilities.

    The move, he said, will reduce the level of destruction of school facilities due to social events being hosted in school premises.

    He said that KADBEAM,at a stakeholders’ dialogue on challenges confronting girls education in the state, urged the government to find a lasting solution to the wanton destruction of school facilities.

    He added that stakeholders at the engagement, supported by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, a UK governance programme, noted the need for community members to support the government in maintaining school facilities.

  • Kaduna Govt. Files Fresh Charges Against El-Zakzaky

    Kaduna Govt. Files Fresh Charges Against El-Zakzaky

    The Kaduna State Government has filed further charges against the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

    This is coming less than 24 hours after a Kaduna State High Court discharged and acquitted El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat.

    Daybreak reports that a Kaduna High Court presided by Justice Gideon Kurada on Wednesday ruled that the charges against El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat were not supposed to be filed, as the Kaduna State Government cannot arraign someone for a crime that was not an offence at the time.

    Justice Kurada had found that the charges were filed against El-Zakzaky and his wife in 2018 pursuant to the Penal Law enacted by the state government in 2017 over an alleged offence committed in 2015.

    However, the state government said it was not in agreement with the reasoning and conclusion of Justice Kurada.

    The lead Prosecution Counsel, Dari Bayero, stated last night that there was no doubt that the government would appeal the case.

    Dari Bayero said, “We are going to appeal, there is no doubt about it, in fact, we have obtained the court judgement because we are not in agreement with my Lord’s reasoning and conclusion, it is not in consonance with the facts on ground.”

  • Kaduna Govt Declares July 12 Work-Free Day To Mourn Ex-Dep. Governor

    Kaduna Govt Declares July 12 Work-Free Day To Mourn Ex-Dep. Governor

    The Kaduna State Government has declared Monday, July 12, as a work-free day in honour of the late former Deputy Governor of the state, Barnabas Yusuf Bala (Bantex).

    This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye on Sunday.

    According to the statement, Architect Barnabas Bala, who served as Deputy Governor of Kaduna State from May 2015 to May 2019, died on Sunday in Abuja.

    Late former Deputy Governor of the state, Barnabas Yusuf Bala (Bantex)

    Meanwhile, Governor El-Rufai has sent a personal message of condolence to the family, noting that it was a blessing to know Bantex and to have worked with him.

    The governor acknowledged his commitment to the progress of Kaduna State and prayed God to grant him peaceful repose and to comfort his family.

  • Another NLC Strike Looms As El-rufai insist Kaduna Govt not in position to pay redundant workers

    Another NLC Strike Looms As El-rufai insist Kaduna Govt not in position to pay redundant workers

    …Pledge to redress economic damages by NLC

    By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna

    Governor, Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State has pledged to redress the alleged damages done by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the State’s economy during the 5-day warning strike, insisting that the Government is not in a position to pay redundant be workers.

    El-rufai in a radio broadcast at the weekend however commended the federal government for it’s effort to intervene in the be logjam between labour and the State Government, while also thanking the citizens for their alleged resilient during the strike period.

    He said: “I address you today on behalf of the Kaduna State Government to thank you for your resilience in the face of the sustained assault on your rights, freedoms, and livelihoods by the NLC over the previous four days.

    “We appreciate the calm response by our citizens to the NLC’s unwarranted provocation, lawlessness, and denial of essential services.

    “We thank our traditional, community and religious leaders who helped to manage the strong feelings of our people against the needless pain imposed on them”.

    While lamenting over the strike by labour, he remarked that “Kaduna Government wishes to express its regrets that such lawlessness was permitted by those with the duty to prevent it”, adding that “we sympathise with all our citizens for the denial of electricity four days and the persistent attempt to disrupt normal life and prevent government offices, hospitals, banks, and other private businesses from functioning.”

    According to him, “the laws of our country do not allow anyone to shutdown essential services”, insisting that ” the right to strike does not include license to violate public and private facilities or to shut them down in any way”.

    “Persons on strike can withdraw from the facilities where they are working, but they are not allowed to stop those facilities from functioning. As your government, we will pursue accountability for the crimes that have been committed and seek remedies for our people”, he stated.
    He stressed that Kaduna State Government has done a lot for the welfare of workers, including payment of the minimum wage, pension, and other entitlements of civil servants, noting that “any states are yet to pay these wages, while some that began paying have reversed it.”

    “But it is the state that is consistently paying that the NLC came to sabotage. We will not become a state that only pays salary, and no amount of pressure will change that. We are a state that believes in progress and development, and we will continue to prioritize this.”

    “We cannot continue to use 84% to 96% of our revenues to pay salaries of less than 1% of the population.
    The rest of our people, all 99% of them, need better schools, hospitals, water supply, roads, markets and support for agriculture to make a living outside government”.

    Açcording to the Governor, “we will uphold our oath of office to promote the welfare and progress of 10 million citizens and we will not spend all or most government resources on the less than 100,000 persons that are public servants.”

    “Everyone can see how our urban renewal programme is changing Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan for the better. Even our adversaries admit that our social services have improved, and jobs are being created by the private sector due to a conducive economic environment.”

    “Therefore, we will rightsize the public service in the interest of the state. In shrinking the public service, we will reduce the number of political appointees and civil servants.”

    “We are verifying personnel records to remove staff without the required qualifications or with fake qualifications. While we exit unqualified and poorly skilled people, we continue to recruit more teachers, health workers and other professionals for our agencies.”

    Besides, El-rufai noted: “in 2017, we offered land for farming to the unqualified teachers that were disengaged. Not many took up the offer, but it is still available, along with access to concessionary funding for SMEs.”

    “We are in difficult times. Let no one pretend that we can manage the situation by not taking the required measures. We are honest enough to confront our challenges and not behave like the ostrich. Let us all stand together against the entitled unionists who invaded our state to inflict pain and misery on our people,” the Governor added.

    Meanwhile, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Aspirant in the be State, Alhaji Shuaibu Idris Miqati said in a statement, ” Iam happy to note the progress thus far made in the process of restoration of normal life in our great state.”

    “I commend the efforts of all parties particularly the Federal Government for its intervention and the warring parties in the crisis for their understanding thus far.
    Life is usually full of challenges and one should stand firm on principles and the path of honour.”

    “Both parties have done just that in their respective positions! Its important however for everyone to realise that without shifting position, peace may elude us. It’s in this regards that I seize the opportunity to crave the indulgence of all parties to imbibe and inculcate the spirit of love and care, feelings and concerns and above all live let’s live so that there can be continuity in normalcy of our daily affairs.”

  • FG Meets With Kaduna Govt, NLC To Resolve Labour Dispute

    FG Meets With Kaduna Govt, NLC To Resolve Labour Dispute

    The Federal Government on Thursday convened a conciliatory meeting with the Kaduna State government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to resolve the impasse that has grounded labour activities in the state.

    Mr Chris Ngige, who is the Minister of Labour and Employment, presided over the meeting while NLC National President, Ayuba Wabba, led other labour leaders to the discussion.

    But the Commissioner of Local Government Affairs in Kaduna, Jaafaru Sabi, represented Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the state government.

    On the deliberations at the end of the meeting, Ngige told reporters that the state government delegation disagrees with the labour leaders.

    He noted that the meeting, thereafter, resolved to constitute a 10-man committee comprising six state government officials and three NLC representatives to discuss and resolve the impasse.

    The minister stated that the committee chaired by the Head of Service in Kaduna State was given a mandate of up to Tuesday next week to report to him.

    According to him, the meeting agreed that no person shall be victimised for participating in the industrial action in Kaduna after which both parties appended their signature to the documents.

    Attempt To Shut Down Kaduna

    Giving his opening remarks shortly after the meeting began, Ngige had said that the Federal Government was very concerned about developments in Kaduna due to insecurity.

    He decried that the situation was further compounded by the strike, which was already crippling economic activities in the state, noting that this informed the intervention of the Federal Government.

    The minister believes the labour issues could have been avoided and all parties to the negotiation are products of the Nigerian Constitution, hence the need to work together for the well-being of the people.

    He stressed the importance of dialogue and the need for restraint in trying to enforce one’s rights, after which he laid the ground rules for the discussions and appealed to the parties to give peace a chance while negotiations continued.

    Ngige had, however, warned that he would not hesitate to invoke relevant sections of the Trade Dispute Act and escalate the situation to the National Industrial Court if the intervention efforts fail.

    In his remarks, Jaafaru stated that the state government was very displeased and condemned the actions of the NLC in its attempt to shut down the state.

    He outlined some of the efforts of the state government to promote the welfare of civil servants, including the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

    The Last Resort

    The commissioner disclosed that the state government had employed 25,000 primary school teachers and 1,700 science teachers in secondary schools, besides other employment processes that were already in the advanced stage.

    According to him, the public service consumes four out of every five naira the state has while salaries and allowances take a huge chunk of revenue allocations to the local governments.

    Wabba, on his part, thanked the Federal Government for its intervention, saying the issue that brought the parties to the meeting was because of the state government’s policy to downsize its workforce.

    He explained that the crux of the issue was the payment of emoluments to affected staff during redundancy, stressing that this was never done.

    The NLC president stressed that the state government never engaged with the workers before disengaging them, insisting that the right thing was never done.

    He accused the state government of ignoring the series of letters sent to it requesting that the workers should be engaged before being disengaged from service.

    The decision to protest and to go on strike, according to him, is the last resort and labour never went to any office to disrupt any service during the protest in Kaduna.

    Wabba informed the meeting that all that the labour wanted was transparency in the process of disengaging the workers.

  • Kaduna Govt approves reopening of all schools

    Kaduna Govt approves reopening of all schools

    Kaduna State Government has approved the reopening of all schools in the state.

    The State Government said the second phase resumption for all schools will begin on Monday, 22nd February 2021.

    The State Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Muhammad, in a statement on Friday directed that all SS2, SS1, JSS2 in public and private secondary schools as well as Primary 4, 5 and 6 for public primary schools and Primary 3, 2, 1 and Nursery classes for private primary schools, including Islamiyah schools should reopen.

    According to him, the state ministry of education had directed all principals and head teachers to make arrangements to receive boarding and day students of the above stated classes on Monday, 22nd February 2021.

    He said the state’s COVID-19 Task Force will continue to monitor all schools to ensure that a safe learning environment against the pandemic is strictly adhered to and maintained in addition to the continued enforcement of the COVID-19 Guidelines put in place by the State government.

    “All administrators of public and private schools must continue to comply with all COVID-19 protocols as any violation may lead to the closure of the affected school without any notice.

    “Schools will continue to run shifts to enable them to sustain the guidelines already in place and take personal responsibility for their own health by continuing to abide by the simple preventive measures already in place.

    “School administrators of public and private schools should continue implementing the blended learning system while the Ministry is assuring the public of continuing the e-learning program using Google classrooms, radio and television stations and other online platforms,” he added.