By Abubakar Sadiq Dauda
Kano was among the first 12 states created by the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Retired), in May 1967. It is the commercial hub of Northern Nigeria and the largest city in Nigeria. It is geographically located in the North-Western region of the country.
Kano is densely populated and has a population of 9 million people (according to the statistics released by the National Population Commission, in 2006). Due to the humongous commercial activities taking place in Kano, the state is one of the top earners in the North in terms of Revenue. Kano consists of 44 Local Government, 5 First Class Emirs, District Heads and it is the hometown of many prominent Nigerians (ranging from scholars, businessmen, politicians and influential personalities).
The state serves residential, commercial and industrial purposes to millions of inhabitants, as well as visitors, and expatriates. Kano has a rich history when it comes to tradition and culture. There is a lot to tell about Kano because it happened to be one of the forefront states not only in Nigeria but in the sub-Saharan region of the continent.
Kano has had different leaders, in a different capacity, with a different ideology. No doubt, each of them delivered in their own spectacular way, and they have done a remarkably awesome job in transforming the face of Kano. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in key sectors, ranging from Health, Infrastructure and Education. To many, it seems there is no specific blueprint in which successive public servants use as a guide to steer the affairs of the state.
Billions of naira are been expended yearly on Infrastructure, Health and Education, but the key concern is, less priority is given to the qualitative of work being executed. In terms of Infrastructure, many roads and buildings were rehabilitated in the last 10 years, and a lot of them are in a sorry state presently due to lack of proper drainage, substandard materials used, as well as lack of proper supervision from the consultants/supervisors and lack of proper management and effective maintenance. It is worthy to note that there is no single ultra-modern market in kano. Massive flood is being encountered in the markets, and on our roads, making accessibility difficult when it is raining, and exposing motorists and marketers to unwanted danger.
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Just like the Infrastructure sector, the Health sector suffers the same fate, as a result of lack of proper management of the facility, and maintenance. Majority of the Primary Health Facility in Kano are dilapidated and outdated. Most of them are lacking innovative technology, standard infrastructure, and there is minimum community participation due to lack of upgrade in the facility.
Our Education sector needs proper care and attention more than the one it has been receiving in the past years. There is little or no resources in terms of equipment needed in order to improve the standard of learning. Majority of the schools are not conducive enough as a result of overcrowding in the classrooms. There is little incentive appraisal/training on the teachers part, which could have enhanced their capability, which in return, will have a positive impact on their respective students.
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The urgent need for an Urban Renewal Project (in phases) will not only arrest the concerns aforementioned above but will go a long way in sustaining the reputation which Kano has earned throughout the past decades. The urban project may consist of, massive redesign and rehabilitation of major roads to a standard class, the building of at least three (3) ultra-modern markets, erecting modern and well equipped Primary Health Facilities, building a world-class state of the art ‘state secretariat’ for our dear Civil Servants, renovating of existing schools as well as the building of new world-class schools (in multiples), design and creation of adequate drainages, and building of flyovers/underpass on roads with high traffic.
The future starts now, and our leaders need to up their game in order to give Kano the glorious State of the Art Facility it deserves. The time for an upgrade is now!
The writer can be reached on assadiq.aldaud@gmail.com
