The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has handed over the newly renovated and upgraded Diso Ward Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) to the Kano State Government as part of efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and improve access to essential health services at the grassroots.

The upgraded facility was formally handed over to the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency (KSPHCMA) during a ceremony attended by health officials, community representatives and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, UNICEF representative Shafiqurrahman said the organisation remained committed to supporting Kano State in ensuring that primary healthcare facilities were not only upgraded but also capable of providing sustainable and quality services to the communities they serve.

Shafiqurrahman said UNICEF was working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective service delivery at the facilities it supports.

“We are here closely to ensure service delivery,” he said.

According to him, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Global Fund, is currently working with five health facilities, with the Diso Ward PHC becoming the first of the facilities under the programme to be formally handed over to the state government.

He explained that the intervention went beyond the renovation of the existing structure, noting that the facility had also benefited from the installation of a solarisation system to help provide a more reliable source of electricity for healthcare operations.

The UNICEF representative said the upgrade of the facility included the establishment of a new ward, labour room and pharmacy, as well as facilities designed to improve access for physically challenged persons.

He stressed that UNICEF placed strong emphasis on primary healthcare because PHCs are the closest healthcare facilities to most communities and often serve as the first point of contact between citizens and the health system.

“We put great emphasis on PHC because it is close to the people,” he said.

Shafiqurrahman, however, cautioned that renovating and equipping a healthcare facility was only one part of the process, stressing that maintaining the facility and ensuring continuous service delivery were equally important.

“Building is one thing and services is another thing. It is a continuous service for the people,” he said.

He called for a strong commitment to the sustainability of the facility, including regular supervision, proper maintenance and effective management of the equipment and infrastructure provided.

According to him, the objective of the intervention was to ensure that the people of Diso and surrounding communities continued to benefit from the facility for a long time.

“We want sustainability and longer services, including supervision and maintenance,” he added.

Receiving the upgraded facility on behalf of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency, the agency’s Director of Administration, Adamu Pate Jigaware, commended UNICEF for its support and intervention in strengthening healthcare delivery in the state.

Jigaware, who represented the Director of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency, expressed appreciation to UNICEF and other partners involved in the project, saying the intervention would contribute to improving healthcare services for residents of the area.

He also commended the contractor who executed the renovation and upgrade works, particularly for working in collaboration with the World Development Committee during the implementation of the project.

He said the involvement of relevant community structures was important in ensuring ownership of the facility and supporting its sustainability.

The handover marks another step in efforts by development partners and the Kano State Government to strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure and improve access to essential health services at the community level.

Kano-based human rights lawyer, Barrister Abba Hikima, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release blogger Maryam Shehu, who he says has been in the agency’s custody for more than 30 days without being charged with an offence.

Hikima made the call in a statement published on his verified Facebook page, where he expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding Shehu’s arrest and continued detention.

According to the lawyer, Shehu, a Kano-based blogger, was arrested in Kano and subsequently taken to Abuja for detention by the EFCC after allegedly raising allegations of corruption involving officials of the anti-graft agency.

Hikima questioned the justification for the blogger’s prolonged detention, insisting that she should either be charged before a competent court if she committed an offence or released immediately.

“Maryam did not steal. She did not defraud anyone. Yet, EFCC detained her for over 30 days,” Hikima stated.

The lawyer alleged that Shehu was not being investigated for conventional economic and financial crimes such as stealing, fraud or money laundering. He also raised concerns about the EFCC’s alleged involvement as complainant and investigator in a matter in which allegations had reportedly been made against some of its own officials.

Hikima further alleged that Shehu was lured by an EFCC official under the guise of a business opportunity before she was arrested in Kano and transported to Abuja.

He described the allegation as troubling and called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blogger’s arrest and detention.

The lawyer also claimed that Shehu had been denied bail and had remained in custody for more than 30 days.

He argued that prolonged detention without trial should not be used as a form of punishment, stressing that an investigation should not amount to a conviction.

“If Maryam committed any offence, charge her before a competent court. Otherwise, release her immediately and allow an independent investigation into the allegations against the EFCC officials,” Hikima said.

Calls for Human Rights Intervention

Hikima disclosed that he and his legal team were working on court papers concerning the matter. He also appealed to human rights organisations to urgently intervene and ensure that Shehu’s fundamental rights are protected.

The lawyer said the case raises broader concerns about due process, the rights of persons in detention and the need for transparency when allegations involve officials of a law enforcement agency.

“Investigation is not punishment. Release Maryam Shehu or charge her to court,” he said, using the hashtag #FreeMaryamShehu to amplify the campaign for her release.

The allegations contained in Hikima’s statement could not independently establish Shehu’s legal status or the specific grounds for her detention.

The Kano State Government has refuted a report by TRACKA, a civic accountability platform under BudgIT, concerning an alleged ₦235.4 million expenditure on the construction of classroom blocks at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Permanent Site, Massu, in Sumaila Local Government Area.

The State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, made the clarification while addressing journalists at a press briefing, saying the government considered it necessary to set the record straight and prevent the public from being misled by information contained in the report.

Waiya said the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf remained committed to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that government projects were executed through established procedures and supported by appropriate documentation.

According to him, the reference in the TRACKA report to an alleged ₦235.4 million expenditure on classroom construction had generated considerable public interest and therefore required official clarification.

The Commissioner said the government would continue to provide accurate information on its projects, expenditures and development programmes whenever questions arose, assuring residents that official records remained available to clarify issues of public concern.

He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to transforming the education sector through the construction and renovation of schools, as well as the provision of essential infrastructure and facilities across the state.

Waiya urged civil society organisations, the media and members of the public to exercise caution when relying on reports concerning government expenditure, advising them to seek clarification from relevant authorities before drawing conclusions.

He also said the Kano State Government remained open to constructive engagement with TRACKA, BudgIT and other accountability organisations, noting that credible scrutiny, verification and dialogue were essential to strengthening transparency and improving public service delivery.

The Commissioner assured the people of Kano that the government would continue to uphold accountability and make relevant information concerning its projects and programmes available to the public whenever necessary