The Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and sustainable rural development through continued investments in critical sectors, including water supply, agriculture, education, healthcare, rural electrification and environmental sustainability.
Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk Ibrahim, stated this on Monday while declaring open the Kano State Rural and Sustainable Community Development Summit organised by the Ministry of Rural and Community Development.
He said the administration had expanded access to clean and safe drinking water across rural communities, noting that the intervention had improved public health and reduced the burden on women and children.
“The administration has prioritised the expansion of rural water supply to ensure access to clean and safe drinking water. This has improved public health and reduced the burden on women and children who travel long distances in search of water,” he said.
The SSG added that the government had also implemented interventions in agriculture, education and healthcare to improve the quality of life in rural communities.
According to him, farmers have benefited from the provision of improved seeds, fertilisers, extension services and irrigation projects to boost agricultural productivity and food security, while agro-processing initiatives are creating employment opportunities for rural youths.
Faruk Ibrahim further said the government had strengthened education through the construction and renovation of classrooms, recruitment of qualified teachers and provision of instructional materials, especially in underserved communities.
He also said primary healthcare services had been improved through upgraded facilities, provision of medical equipment, expanded maternal and child healthcare services and better access to essential medicines.
He noted that rural electrification projects had continued to stimulate economic activities, while skills acquisition programmes for women and youths were enhancing livelihoods.
“These achievements demonstrate that meaningful development is possible when government policies are guided by the needs and aspirations of the people and when communities are empowered to become active partners in the development process.
“While significant progress has been made, the administration is fully aware that much more needs to be done,” he added.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said collaboration with development partners and other stakeholders remained critical to achieving sustainable rural development across the state.
He said the ministry was committed to ensuring that development reached every ward and household in Kano.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Yusuf Kabir, disclosed during a panel session that the board had reintegrated core academic subjects into 2,000 Islamiya schools out of about 23,000 across the state.
Kabir described the failure to integrate the remaining schools into the formal education system as “suicidal,” stressing the need to expand the initiative to improve access to quality education.
