Without education, our population would have been a liability – Ganduje

Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Monday said the huge population of citizens of the state would have been a liability without education.

Ganduje disclosed this when he received an award of Best Governor in 100 Days in Office in Abuja from African Democracy Assessment Network (ADAN), an association based in Dakar, Senegal.

The governor said since all stakeholders had agreed to the decision to integrate both Western and Almajiri systems of education, adding that the programme would be successful.

“Kano being most populous state, we are vulnerable. Without education, our population will be a liability.

“Most of Almajiri are not from Kano State. But we have to take care of them. The Almajiri system is historical. 99% are Muslims. It needs some reformation.

“Islamic curriculum needs to be reformed because it goes beyond memorisation of Qur’an. That’s why we talk of integration of Almajiri system. They have agreed. And it will be successful,” he said.

The governor, who was honoured because of his achievements in the areas of health, education, agriculture, and environmental sanitation among others, said his state now has “the best health insurance scheme in the country” after the establishment of Health Trust Fund with five percent contribution from internally generated revenue.

“Ordinary man needs affordable health services. We notice that major problem to health management is finance. So, we contribute funds in a basket,” he added.

Ganduje said President Muhammdu Buhari had agreed to commission Skill Acquisition Centre built to engage youths who were potential recruits for the extremists if they were not employed.

He said the two newly established Specialist Hospitals in the state remained the best fully equipped public hospitals in the country being run under Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

He said the state government worked very hard through positive engagement to maintain the current peaceful environment with zero banditry and without tribal and religious conflict.

Ganduje, who said the decision of the president to close land borders had assisted the farmers who hitherto suffered due to massive importation of goods, added that the state government aided their output with the establishment of fertilizer plants and the provision of improved seedlings.

The governor said roads had been constructed to connect various rural areas especially in locations susceptible to traffic jams, stressing that “Seeing is believing regarding infrastructure development in Kano”.

Earlier before the presentation of the award, the ADAN representative, Mr Samson Gomina, said the association conferred the award on the governor in appreciation of his laudable projects and contributions, including the integration of Western and Almajiri system of education, the laying of foundation for a World-Class Cancer Centre, food security, community policing and technology driven security, economy, infrastructural development, foreign direct investment, and employment of extension workers, among others.