*Also inaugurates committee to profile NGOs, and donor agencies
By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG), Umar Farouk Ibrahim, has inaugurated a 17-member committee that will prepare Kano State’s five-year multi-sectoral Investment Strategic Plan (2025-2029) agenda for domestic and foreign opportunities.
The inauguration ceremony, which took place at the SSG’s office, followed the directives of His Excellency Alh Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Executive Governor of Kano State has members drawn from the public and private sectors, academia, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as from Kano Emirate Council.
In an inaugural address, the SSG said the Committee is mandated to review existing policies and plans in the state related to investment promotion and retention and identify investment priority sectors and areas for Kano State relevant to its comparative advantage.
The Committee has also been mandated to prepare a 5-year comprehensive investment strategic plan for Kano state across key priority sectors, design actionable strategies, and propose innovative incentives that will attract, retain, and facilitate local, domestic, and foreign direct investments in the state.
Other responsibilities of the committee also include establishing investment targets and key performance indicators for evaluating the implementation of the strategic plan as well as short–, medium-, and long-term activities.
A renowned banker and economist, Alh Shehu Muhammad Dankadai (Sarkin Shanun Kano), serves as Chairman, while Alh Muhammad Sagagi, a distinguished Development Economist and former Vice Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, is co-chairman.
Members of the committee include Muhammad Nazir Halliru, DG/CEO, Kan-Invest, Hon. Shehu Sagagi, Commissioner, Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Hon Abduljabbar Umar, Commissioner, Ministry of Land and Physical Planning and Hon. Auwal Mukhtar Bichi, MD, Kano State Investment and Properties (KSIP).
Also on the committee are Dr Ibrahim Musa, Special Adviser, Health Services/Personal Physician and Jamil Galadanci, eHealth Africa, Abdulkadir Sulaiman, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Dr. Tijjani Ahmad, African Center for Tax and Governance, Ado Mohammed Abubakar, Navanti Group – USAID MELSA Project.
Others are Dr. Abdurrahman Rajab, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Sadiq Baba, Access Bank, Musaddiq Talle, Pluck Agro Allied, Jibrin Ahmad, United Nations, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Abdullahi (Mooh Shamsuddeen), Department of Economics, BUK as member/secretary as well as Aliyu Muhd Sani, SSG Office, as co-secretary.
The committee is given 7 weeks to submit its report, which will serve as a model and a long-term impact plan on the future of investment in Kano State, which is expected to be unveiled at the international investment summit coming up soon.
Kano inaugurates committee to profile NGOs, and donor agencies
Also, the Kano state government has inaugurated a high-profile committee to profile Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and donor organisations operating in the state.
The state Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, emerged as the chairman of the Committee.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Farouk Ibrahim, who inaugurated the Committee, said the idea came as a decisive move to ensure the proper regulation, transparency, and alignment of NGOs and donor organisations in the state.
The SSG underscored the vital contributions of NGOs and donor organisations in sectors such as health, education, agriculture, women and children development, and governance. However, he noted growing concerns over unregulated activities by some organisations, necessitating the establishment of a robust monitoring framework.
He stated that the committee’s terms of reference include profiling all NGOs and donor organisations operating in Kano State, as well as investigating and documenting their sources of funding. It will also assess the nature of their activities, areas of intervention, and operational methods, with a view to recommending a regulatory framework that aligns NGO operations with the state’s vision and development goals.
Furthermore, the committee will propose measures to ensure order and proper regulation in the use of civic space in Kano State.
He added that to effectively carry out its mandate, the committee has been granted the authority to shut down the offices of any organisation found engaging in suspicious or unapproved activities and suspend the operations of any local or foreign organisation linked to activities that contradict Kano’s moral and religious values.
It also has the power to investigate the funding sources and operational methods of any organization, as well as receive and review complaints from the public regarding suspicious NGO activities.
According to him, the Committee is empowered to lodge formal complaints with security agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution of any organisation found to be engaging in dubious or unethical practices.
Umar Faruk Ibrahim explained that the Committee comprises key government officials and representatives from civil society, security agencies, and relevant ministries.
The Chairman of the committee is Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, while Mallam Tijjani Auwal, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, serves as Vice Chairman.
Other members include Air Commodore Salisu Yushu’u Abdullahi, Special Adviser on Joint Security Services; Mallam Ali Bichi, Special Adviser on Religious Affairs; Hon. Nasiru Isah Dikko (Jarma), Senior Special Assistant on NGOs; and Dr. Abba Sufi, Director General of the Hisbah Board. \
The Committee also includes representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Rural and Community Development, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Local Government.
Also represented are the Neighborhood Watch (Vigilante Group), the Nigeria Police Command, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Emirate Council, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the National Human Rights Commission, and various religious groups, including Jama’atu Nasril Islam. Barr. Ibrahim Isa Wangida, a private legal practitioner, is also a member of the committee.
The Co-Secretary of the committee is Sani Abba Yola, Director of Special Duties at the Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, while AbdulMumin Ladan Ajumawa, Director of Development Support Coordination at MPB, serves as Secretary.
In his acceptance remarks on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairman of the Committee and Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, expressed gratitude to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the trust and confidence reposed in the Committee members.
He assured the state government that the committee would carry out its mandate with diligence, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding the values and interests of the Kano people.
He emphasised that the committee would work tirelessly to ensure a transparent and accountable process in profiling NGOs and donor organisations, ensuring that their activities align with the state’s development agenda and moral principles.
He also stressed the importance of collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, security operatives, and civil society groups, to achieve the set objectives.
Waiya reiterated that the Committee would operate strictly within its terms of reference and ensure that only credible and law-abiding organisations are allowed to operate in the state.