Kano Approves N500m Counterpart Fund for World Bank

Kano Approves N500m Counterpart Fund for World Bank Project

Kano state Executive Council has approved the sum of N500, 000 million as counterpart fund for the implementation of a six year World Bank assisted project tagged: Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL).

The state commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the council meeting, said the project is aimed at increasing the adoption of climate resilience landscape management practices and enhance livelihood in targeted arid and semi-arid watersheds in northern Nigeria.

The project is being at the federal ministry of environment and the state ministry of environment at the states level to consolidate the achievements recorded under the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project in Kano.

He said the council also approved the extension of the health programme Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government, Bill and Melinda Gates and Aliko Dangote Foundations.

Malam Garba stated that the MoU, which followed the significant progress achieved in the programme, is aimed at improving Routine Immunisation (RI) services in the state with focus on optimizing vaccine availability at service delivery points, among others.

The commissioner further announced that the council has approved MoU between the state government and Medina Academy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the physical teacher training of 5, 000 teachers at Madina, students’ courses and establishment of virtual classes.

He explained that the state government would be responsible for providing return air tickets, visas, training allowance to the first batch of 50 teachers that will attend the intensive training in Madina before Ramadan.

Malam Garba added that approval has also been given by council for the release of N94, 922, 380.00 million to facilitate the settlement of rent stores and garage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 2020 and 2021.

The commissioner revealed that the council has given approval for the ratification of various administrative approvals that included contract for the completion of dualized 5km road network in Tofa local government; construction of roads network at Dawanau town in Dawakin Tofa local government.

Others are ratification of award of contract for the reconstruction of Dawakin Tofa-Kiyawa Road; release of fund for the training of healthcare personnel and refund on stamp duty and educational support fund; contract for internet service renewal and annual maintenance of ICT equipment and deployment of Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) software at Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital.

The rest are engagement of consultant for the supervision of the proposed Kano state Fibre Optics Network Project; procurement of firefighting operational vehicles; maintenance of 12 selected metropolitan roads; contract for management and maintenance of street lightening, fountain and landscape area of Dangi interchange, purchase of one unit 350 KVA MIKANO generator.

MALAM MUHAMMAD GARBA
Hon. Commissioner for Information, Kano state