General
Kano to Feed Vulnerable Households with N493.5m, Produce N40m Calendars
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Kano State Government has said it plans to expend the sum of N493.5 million to feed vulnerable households and indigent people across the five Emirate Councils of the state
According to the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Muhammad Garba, this is part of the humanitarian policies of the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
He said the State Executive Council has already approved the release of the fund to enable the beneficiaries to survive the economic downturn that was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Garba said the “approval has been given by the Council for the release of N493,518,000.00 being the cost of foodstuff and other materials to be distributed as support to the most vulnerable indigent households/families across the five Emirates Councils in the state.”
He added that “the state Executive Council has also approved an upward review of the contract sum for the completion of five-kilometre dual carriageway roads in Warawa and Ungogo local government areas to the sum of N1,280,557,088.41.
“Contracts for the completion of the five-kilometre dual carriageway roads in Warawa and Ungogo local government area were awarded in January 2019 at the cost of N598,570,324.45 and N880,900,623.74 respectively.”
According to him, “the increase was as a result of an unprecedented rise in the general process of construction materials over the last four years.”
He further stated that “the new contract sum for the completion of Warawa and Ungogo dual carriageway roads stands at N997,240,689.54 and N398,670,365.08 respectively.”
The state has also got approval for the payment of differences of N238,851,229.62 to incorporate all adjustments and additional works for the construction of 100 new houses and upgrading of 50 others at the Model Village in Ganduje town of Dawakin Tofa local government.
The project, he said, which was awarded in January 2019 at the cost of N241,765,412.45, has now been reviewed to N480,616,641.55.
He said approval has also been given by the council for the payment of N95,363,450.00 for the payment of compensation for properties affected in the construction of Muhammadu Buhari Interchange at NNPC Mega Station Rotary Intersection, Hotoro along Maiduguri Road.
The Commissioner announced that the council has also approved the sum of N40,000,000.00 for the production of the 1443 AH Islamic Calendar by the state Shari’a Commission.
He said the project includes the production and printing of the calendar, where the services of some Islamic scholars that have vast knowledge on astronomy and other vital issues pertaining to the assessment of Islamic compensation would be involved.
He further disclosed that approval of N136,5482,009.93 has been given for the provision of potable water supply Gaya town and environs to eradicate cases of reported gastroenteritis that involves the rehabilitation of Wudil Regional Water Scheme to Gaya town and its environs, as well as the sum of N96,991,239.33 for the construction six solar mechanized boreholes and 30 hand pump borehole, as well as sensitization programme on triggering hygiene promotion.
He added that the sum of N82,452,000.00 has been approved by the council for the provision of high capacity electricity generators to two premier health facilities-Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital in the state.
The Commissioner revealed that the sum of N23,899,905.80 has been approved for the general renovation of physical structures at the Science and Technical Schools Board secretariat/headquarters.
In addition, the council has okayed the release of N24,850,000.00 and N18,770,000.00 for the conduct of 2021 IJMB at RMK College of Arts and Remedial Studies, T/Wada and Kano state College of Education and Remedial Studies respectively.
On the education front, the council for the release of N17,600,000.00 for the training by Industrial Training Fund (ITF) of 220 youth to be selected from the 44 local governments across the state.
Other approvals by the council include ratifications for projects that included contract determination for the rehabilitation/asphalt overlay of Kwanar Zira-Dungurawa Road awarded in January 2016 at the cost of N671,647,455.14 now reviewed to N1,195,990,619.88; construction of diversion road connecting Eastern Bypass Road to Maiduguri Road for the construction of Muhammadu Buhari Interchange at NNPC Mega Station Rotary Intersection, Hotoro along Maiduguri Road.
He said other approvals ratified by the council are repair of eroded/washed out section at Kiru town along Yako-Kiru-Karaye Road in Kiru local government area at the cost of N202,643,311.03; phase II renovation works at History and Culture Bureau, Gidan Dan Hausa, which is necessitated by the creation of a new ministry of tourism and culture.
The contract was initially awarded at the cost of N104,624,621.58 but has now been reviewed to N124,585,228.93
The Commissioner also stated that the council has ratified approval for the contract awarded for general renovation works at the Kano Emir’s Palace at the cost of N33,880,213.81.
He said the council has also been given by the council for the constituted committee on the Distribution of Palliative to indigent Households to cushion the current economic hardship.
The Committee’s composition includes some members of the State Executive Council; Special adviser; inter-party representation; security agents; representatives from the Emirate Council; SEMA; Hisbah Board; Chairman, Forum of Chief Imams of Jumu’ah Mosques; Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Red Cross Society; Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ); Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs); the Business Community, among others.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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