By Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa
During the 2024 World Teachers Day, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) honoured six state Governors for their various achievements in the education sector. Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf is one of them. Others are his counterparts from Borno, Oyo, Benue, Enugu, and Kebbi states.
Governor Yusuf was honoured with prestigious golden award for his exceptional performance in reforming the state’s education sector, during a colourful event organized by NUT, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education. The Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the event was full to the brim, with a crowd of stakeholders in the education sector, from across Nigeria. It was a hillarious applause when Governor Yusuf’s citation was read as the crowd cheered with commendations when the modest achievements of Governor Yusuf in the education sector were being chunned out.
The event brought together teachers from across the 36 states of Nigeria to honour the significant contributions made to the education sector. Governor Yusuf was recognized with the NUT Golden Award for his transformative efforts in rescuing Kano’s education sector from years of decay and neglect and being a teacher friendly governor.
In his remarks, NUT National Chairman, Comrade Audu Titus Ambe noted that only six governors were selected for the honours, based on their unwavering commitment to advancing education, particularly through the support of teachers’ welfare and continuous training. Comrade Titus specifically highlited Governor Yusuf’s accomplishments, including his administration’s allocation of 29.9% of Kano’s 2024 budget to education which is far beyond the UNESCO recommendation and his declaration of a state of emergency in the sector, which has significantly improved both infrastructure and access to quality education in the state.
More so, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, commended Govenror Yusuf and his colleagues for their dedication to the development of the education sector in thier respective states and urged their counterparts to emulate thier efforts.
Indeed, Governor Yusuf’s passion for education has brought remarkable reforms and innovations in Kano State. Since assuming office, Governor Yusuf has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing access to quality education and improving the overall learning environment for students.
Among his numerous accomplishments, Governor Yusuf set aside 29.97% of the state annual budget to education sector, declared state of emergency on education in Kano State, He has convened international conference on education recovery to galvanize the support of local, national and international stakeholders in the education sector including multi-national and bilatral donor agencies.
He has reviewed the 60 year old state education law and also sent 1,001 post graduates with first class and second class upper decree for foreign post graduate studies as he promised the reintroduce the scheme during his campaign in 2024.
He has settled the backlog of NBAIS examination fees 2020,2021,2022 owed by the State to NBAIS and subsequently secured the release of student results which were withheld for three years. He has paid N740,000,000.00 to three examination bodies namely NECO, NBAIS and NBTE for 2023 examination, In response to the increase of tuition fees by the federal government in federal institutions, Governor Yusuf approved and paid the sum of N1,300,000,000.00 to 15 federal institution to cushion the effect on Kano students, paid off the backlog of the graduate and postgraduate students in various private universities in Nigeria who were denied their results as the immediate past administration of Ganjude abondoned them to thier fate.
He has also approved for the reduction of 50% tuition fee in all Kano state owned tertiary institution as a relief to the student and their parents. He has also refurbished and put back to proper use 73 high capacity buses to shuttle girls to and fro school on daily basis within the municipality local Government. Governor Yusuf spearheaded the distribution of ATM card for conditional cash transfers (CCT) to 45,850 under AGILE. He has increased by 100% the cost of feeding student in boarding schools across the state,
He has so far, expended more than N4,000,000,000.00 paying food suppliers for boarding schools promptly. He also bought JAMB forms for 5,000 students. Governor Yusuf has paid the sum of N2,900,000,000.00 to different examination bodies for SSCE Examination 2024 for 109,000 students. To encourage students’ enrollment in primary school across the state.
Gov. Yusuf approved and released the sum of N1,500,000,000.00 for purchase and sewing of student uniforms for primary 1 pupil numbering more than 800,000 this year.
He has consistently ensured prompt payment of teachers’ salary on the 25th to 26th of every month. He has boldly cleared the backlog of promotion from 2017 to 2022 affecting 39,000 eligible personnels in education sectors mostly teachers. He has approved the payment and implementation of promotion to 20,542 teachers across the 44 Local Government Areas from 2023 to January 2024 with effect from 2nd October 2024.
Additionally, Governor Yusuf has approved and released N300,000,000.00 to be distributed to teachers as soft revolving loans. He recruited 5,643 teachers on permanent and pensionable appointment and recruited an additional 4,000 under BESDA programme.
Few days ago, he distributed essential teaching and learning materials Phase III on each occasion spending more than N2,000,000,000.00.
He has so far spent more than N3,500,000,000.00 to fabricate more than 80,000 3-sieatter seats accommodating 240,000 students that were inherited sitting on the bare floor. He has also released the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 to the Community Re-orientation Committees (CRC) across the 44 Local Government Areas renovating and equipping more than 250 classrooms providing sits for 15,000 students.
The Governor of Kano has approved N5,000,000,000 for the construction of 402 new standard class rooms, work is in different stages of completion across the 44 LGAs.
All these efforts are geared towards achieving state of emergency in education concept:
“Every school, a good school,
Every child, enrolled in school,
Every student, an engaged learner,
Every teacher, a caring educator,
Every parent, a supportive partner,
The Government, a committed investor.”
Governor Yusuf has changed the face of education in Kano state in just no time. He has been keeping faith with his promises of periodic provision of free school desks; renovation of classrooms; construction of new classrooms and office accommodation; and teachers recruitment. Kano residents have contninued to express their gratitude for Governor Yusuf’s selfless service and millstone achievements. Particularly, his determination and commitment to education has earned him alot of accolades, with the latest, being the prestigious teachers national award on the world teacher’s day.
Governor Yusuf is not flattered by the avanlanche of awards and accolades coming his way. He has keep reassuring of his desire to do even more towards ensuring that all the decays in the state education sector are wiped out. This resolve, he reiterated while speaking on behalf of other awardees during the NUT award ceremony at Eagle Square, as he reaffirmed his commitment to keep investing in education, emphasizing the importance of sustaining progress to ensure that the future generations thrive. The People’s Governor is matching words with action.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, a Kano Prince, accomplished technocrat and political leader was born into the prestigious Sullubawa Fulani clan, the ruling class of the Kano Emirate. Raised in Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State, Yusuf began his education under the guidance of his grandfather, Alhaji Yusuf Bashari (Danmakwayon Kano), the District Head of Gaya. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kano before pursuing a National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Civil Engineering and Water Resources Engineering with specialization in Environmental Engineering at Federal Polytechnic, Mubi and Kaduna Polytechnic, respectively.
Governor Yusuf furthered his education at Bayero University, Kano, earning a postgraduate diploma in management and a master degree in business administration. Throughout his career, Yusuf held various positions in the Kano State Water Resources Engineering and Construction Agency and and Kano State Water Board. He served as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration.
His political career started when he also worked closely with former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, serving as his Personal Assistant, Special Assistant, Principal Private Secretary and later as Commissioner of Works, Housing, and Transport in Kano State. In 2018, Yusuf contested the gubernatorial election under the Peoples Democratic Party and won against incumbent Abdullahi Umar Ganduje but the election was toppled under the guise of inconclusive.
Undeterred by many including some members of his former political party, Governor Yusuf joined his political Godfather Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso to switch to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and secured victory in the 2023 elections. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s dedication to public service, combined with his educational background and experience, positions him as a dynamic and couragious leader committed to driving positive change and progress in Kano State.
Despite taking over the affairs of Kano state at a time of persistent political crises, where his election was upturned by the Election Petition Tribunal, a decition he challeged up to supreme court where justice prevailed as he was returned as the duly elected Governor of Kano State on 12th Januray, 2024, Governor Yusuf remains one of the outstanding Governors in Nigeria and couragious leader who never allowed himself to be distracted.
Other awards received by Governor Yusuf include: Pensioners friendly Governor of the year by Nigeria Union of Pensioners; Humanitarian Governor of the year award by Niger-Nigeria league of Journalists; Couragious Governor of the year award by This-Nigeria Newspaper; Best Governor of the year by African Trust Magazine. He was conferred with Fellow, Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership, USA.
Sanusi Bature is the Director General, Media and Public Relations, Government House/Spokesperson to the Governor
