By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Andy Burnham has become the United Kingdom’s prime minister and was invited by King Charles III to form a government, after Keir Starmer’s resignation.

Burnham enters office promising a “10-year plan for the country” to address some of the fundamental issues holding the UK back.

He added: “I’m not saying that means I’m setting out to say I’m going to be here for 10 years. It’s more that we’re not in the right place structurally.”

In his first Downing Street speech he promised to give people “breathing room” against the rising cost of living.

He intends to urge the country to be honest about the challenges it faces and will call for “reflection and resolution.”

He enumerated that he is “acutely conscious” that the UK has had seven prime ministers in a little over 10 years, stressing the need for more stable and responsible politics and pledging to restore faith in government.

In his final appearance at the prime minister’s office in Downing Street, Starmer said his “work is done” and that he was leaving the country “stronger and fairer” than when he took office just two years ago.

“I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,” he added.

After a brief audience with the king, the palace announced Starmer had tendered his resignation which Charles was “graciously pleased to accept.”

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, FFS, Olumode Adeyemi Samuel, has approved the immediate deployment of Deputy Controller of Fire, DCF, UM Sadiq as the new State Controller for the Kano State Command.

The appointment, which takes immediate effect, is part of the Service’s ongoing efforts to strengthen operational leadership and enhance public safety across the country.

Mr Sadiq takes over from Controller of Fire, CSF, Kazeem Sholadoye, who has been redeployed to the Jigawa State Command in an acting capacity.

The Federal Fire Service commended Sholadoye for his dedication and contributions during his tenure in Kano.

The newly appointed State Controller is familiar with the Kano Command, having previously served as its Acting Commanding Officer between 2015 and 2017.

An indigene of Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, his return is expected to leverage his experience and knowledge of the state to improve emergency response and fire safety operations.

A statement by the Service described Mr Sadiq as a seasoned firefighter, administrator and policy strategist with extensive experience in fire prevention, emergency management and institutional reforms.

During his career, he has held several strategic positions within the Federal Fire Service, including Team Lead of Package B at the National Stadium, Abuja, in 2015; Commanding Officer of the Kano State Command between 2015 and 2017; Head of Appointment, Promotion and Discipline at the National Headquarters from 2017 to 2020; and Third-in-Command in charge of Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics between 2020 and 2021.

He also served as Head of Registry at the National Headquarters from 2021 to 2022, Second-in-Command of the Jigawa State Command between 2022 and 2023, State Controller of the Kaduna State Command from 2023 to 2024, and most recently, State Controller of the Kogi State Command from 2024 until his latest deployment.

According to the statement, Sadiq has played a significant role in the development of policies aimed at modernising the Service’s operational framework and improving emergency response mechanisms across the country.

The Service expressed optimism that his deployment to Kano would strengthen firefighting operations, improve public safety strategies, deepen community engagement and reinforce the state’s firefighting infrastructure.

The Controller-General expressed confidence in Sadiq’s ability to provide effective leadership for the Kano State Command and urged officers and personnel of the command to give him their full cooperation and support in the discharge of his duties.

By Abba Anwar

As Lagos state can boast of, within a period of three years, 377 completed projects with completed Red Line Rail Phase 1 and other ongoing projects, as Abia state boasts of 76 completed projects with 36 ongoing, with major projects of 600km roads, Port Harcourt road, 277 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) refurbished, 135 functional, and 17 Local Government Headquarters, Kano state beats chest with 799 completed projects, while 709 are at various stages of completion.

When Katsina state has 89 completed projects out of a total 114 earmarked projects, with 23 township roads, 15 PHCs with solar, 28 classroom blocks, as Gombe state hits with 74 completed projects out of 111 projects, with key projects of 19 roads, 11 PHCs, 25 schools renovation, and Niger state with 25 completed projects of 5km road in each of 25 LGAs completed plus 100 Level 2 PHCs and Capital city projects with 30% completion, Kano state apart from the 799 completed projects mentioned above, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf smiles with over 1,508 developmental projects across the 44 LGs.

States like Bauchi with 61 completed projects out of 108 intended projects with key 12 township roads, 9 General Hospitals and 22 boreholes, Delta state developmental projects stand at a completed 32.5km Emu-Obodeti-Abbi-Abraka road and local governments roads repairs that were also completed, with the ongoing two flyovers, while Oyo state completed Iseyin-Okeho road and Phase 1 of 200 PHCs with the major ongoing project of N144bn Shaki-Okerete road, with the projects execution of these states, Kano is still ahead of them.

The publicly available information and record, as shown for other states above, Benue state has completed 50 projects of intra-city roads, renovation of State Secretariat, State House of Assembly Complex, with 100 ongoing projects, when Akwa-Ibom state completed 1,300km roads across the state, other key projects of Akpan Andem Market Amphitheatre, Atiku Tunnel, Model Schools and 15.13km Ikot Esu-Otomo-Azumini road, while Anambra state has 15.62km completed roads projects in Okpoko and Beltway linking 4 cities with the key ongoing projects of Amawbia-Ekwulobia dual carriageway and 80% completion of 19.1km Awkuzu-Igbariam road.

Available record as disclosed recently by the Kano state Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Ma’aji Sumaila, in a press conference, shows that, the Urban Renewal Projects have contract sum of One Hundred and Sixty Nine Billion Naira (N169Billion) and construction of 5Km Roads across 38 LGAs with a contract value of over One Hundred and Eighteen Billion Naira (₦118Billion).

Disclosing further that, “Security Improvement Projects through the award of projects for the construction of Kano State Neighborhood Security Watch divisions in 36 LGAs,
with a contract value of over Six Billion Eight Hundred and Sixty Three Million Naira (₦6.863Billion).This reflects the government’s continued investment in community safety and security infrastructure.

Rural Infrastructure Projects across all 44 LGAs, covering infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other social interventions, with a contract value of over Three Hundred and Ninety Seven Billion Naira (₦397billion). These projects support balanced development and improved rural service delivery.”

While other projects, according to him, have cumulative contract sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Five Billion Naira (N255Billion).

Reading my sample states above, one could understand that, I touch all the six geo-political zones of our federation. Not only selecting two states per zone, I select the most performing states in their respective zones. Reason why I said, Projects, Monitoring, Payment, Performance: The Kano Formula Outpacing 35 States.

Where Kano excels compared to all other 35 states of the federation, is not only in the completion of the human-centred projects, but in clear and transparent monitoring and evaluation which eventually resulted into the payments to contractors. It is extremely amazing to note that, out of the Nine Hundred and Twenty Eight Billion Naira (N928Billion) the state was able to clear over Six Hundred Billion Naira (600Billion). A payment of 64.7 percent being paid. That is to say the payment of two out three is effected and cleared. As the remaining are currently in the process of being cleared. This is superb, not only in Nigeria, but across our sub-region. No two ways about it.

For serious minded elements, the process of projects administration and treatment, from the conception stage, during execution and after execution, up to the payment boundary, are enough a reason to urge Governor Yusuf to come back come 2027. Politics aside, his (governor’s) era as a Commissioner for Works many years back among other public engagements, gave him more advantage in understanding the nooks and crannies of projects conception, execution, monitoring, evaluation and payments.

I do concur with Commissioner Sumaila when he commended the Governor and the government in, “… the administration’s resolve to ensure distribution of projects across urban and rural communities, with emphasis on value for money, quality delivery, and measurable impact on the lives of the people.The broad scale of intervention consistent with the
State Government’s reported infrastructure priorities, including roads, urban renewal, utilities, transportation, security and social services.”

The very day Governor Yusuf established this Ministry for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation and appointed Nura Ma’aji as the pioneer Commissioner, someone I knew for over 25 years, as a committed human rights activist and a promoter of transparency and openness, even before the advent of Open Government Partnership (OGP) as an institution, I knew the Governor was serious about good governance.

With Sumaila, I am confident that, the Ministry’s resolve in playing a pivotal role “… is critical in safeguarding public
to strengthen the state’s economic base, improve mobility, support community safety, and
through strategic investment, project monitoring, and transparent procurement.”

During that press conference I took Sumaila’s emphatic commitment seriously when he said, “Ministry for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation remains committed to ensuring value for money, quality project delivery through effective monitoring of all
aspirations of the people.”

It is important to note that, Kano’s key completed projects are, but not limited to, 40 metropolitan roads, 44 PHCs, 120 schools and 5 water plants. Not to talk of un-dusting Kano’s original town planning for today’s relevance and beautification process.

Among the 709 projects that are at various stages of completion are our major flyovers of Dan Agundi and Tal’udu. That are at over 80 percent completion stage. The strategic positioning of these flyovers, in decongesting, remodeling, re-beautifying and the remaking of Kano as a 21st century city speaks volumes about Governor Yusuf’s critical thinking in governance and deliverables.

Looking closely at the people-oriented Governor, one could understand that, this gentleman has political will, clear understanding of the needs of Kano people and has all the required commitment to genuinely serve. This among many other reasons, give me more courage not to think of any bottlenecks on the path of His Excellency Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, in the fast approaching election, come 2027.

Anwar writes from Kano
Saturday, 18th July, 2026