Independence: Nigeria Should Have Grown Better – Kano Governor

Kano State Governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf says the country ought to have grown past the level it is at the moment.

Governor Yusuf said this through his independence speech that at an event at Kofar-Mata stadium on Sunday.

"...It is only rational to also recognize that arising from some policy choices of some of our past leaders, our development and growth ought to have gone beyond where we are today.

"Our cohesion and unity ought to have been stronger than what it is today. Our security and stability ought to have been better than what it is today."

The Governor noted that more need to be done in the face of massive unemployment and youth restiveness.

"The challenges of unemployment and youth restiveness must be given more attention; the challenges of insecurity and poverty must be attended to with sincerity; the challenges bedeviling education provisioning and healthcare services must be genuinely attended to; and the challenges of hunger and malnutrition must be tackled compassionately."

He noted that Nigerians are celebrating this year’s independence anniversary at a time of serious economic hardship arising from the removal of fuel subsidy.

"Here in Kano State, our administration has taken some practical steps to support people at the bottom of the social ladder with some palliatives.

"We have purchased 99 trailers of Rice, 150 trailers of maize for distribution to the most deserving households.

"In Kano State, we are determined to look to the future with hope, belief and careful plans devoid of the encumbrances of the burden of the past.

"We are working deliberately to break away from the circle of despair, poverty, insecurity and youth restiveness, all of which are products of bad leadership."

The Governor also noted that his administration has tried to curtail insecurity from may fronts.

"...Our administration have taken some bold steps in ensuring security of lives and properties – the cases of phone snatching and street crimes have become a history in our State.

"We have taken bold steps against the sale and consumption of illicit drugs to save our youth from becoming victims of the menace.

"Believing that preventive measures are not enough to stop these vices, we have re-opened all our institutes for skill acquisition for the purposes of equipping our teeming youth with soft and hard skills as well as empowering them with startup capital to start their SMEs and contribute to the development of our State and our nation."

On healthcare, the Governor noted that his adminstration's four months in office is rapidly bringing the needed development to the sector.

"We have rebuilt and equipped the Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital and commissioned it to provide free medical care to children, we have renovated and upgraded the Accident and Emergency section of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

"We have already started renovations and upgrading work at Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Nuhu Bamalli Hospital and Bela leprosy Hospital. We are in the process of renovating and all our general Hospitals, Clinics and Healthcare centers across the 44 local governments."

He also noted that government is tirelessly working to keep Kano clean by evacuating dirt from the streets amongst other measures.

The Governor also wished the Nigerian youths well, as they are the backbone of the society.

"My fellow compatriots, before I end this anniversary speech, let me extend my greetings of hope for a better future to our teeming youth who constitute the largest proportion of our demography."

"Let me extend my greetings to our women, who are the pathfinders and moral compasses of our society. Let me extend my greetings and solidarity on this anniversary, to all the workers in our State who are working hard to support government to meet the citizens’ aspirations.

The Governor then paid respect to senior citizens who have invested their energies in building Kano "and whose wealth of experience and wisdom we shall continue to benefit from".

"Let me extend my greetings and appreciations to the Ulamas for their continues prayers.

"Let me also extend my gratitude and respect to the law enforcement agencies who are on their feet to keep our State safe and peaceful. Let me extend my felicitation to Nigeria on this 63rd Anniversary," he said.