Governor Uba Sani has called on stakeholders across Kaduna State, to make inputs into the 2025 budget proposal, before the document is sent to the House of Assembly for deliberations.

The Governor made this known at a town hall meeting held at Hotel Seventeen on Friday, where civil society groups, professional associations and youth associations as well as women’s groups were present.

A draft 2025 budget proposal of ₦790.43 billion was presented at the meeting.

Speaking at the event, the Governor said that ‘”2025 shall be devoted to the consolidation of the progress so far made in opening up the rural areas through massive infrastructural development.

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“That is why we tagged our proposed 2025 Budget “Sustaining Rural Transformation and Inclusive Development,’’ he said, adding that ‘’we are also targeting the areas inhabited by the urban poor. Every citizen deserves to live a better life.’’

Governor Uba Sani reminded that ‘’at my inauguration as Governor on May 29 2023, I made a solemn pledge to our citizens to run an administration that will not shy away from taking tough decisions for the greater good of our people.

“I promised to undertake programmes and policies that will enhance productivity, encourage creativity and harness the rich diversity and cosmopolitan nature of our state.

“I further pledged that our programmes and policies shall be people – oriented. I shall run an all – inclusive government that will leave no one or any part of Kaduna State behind,’’ he added.

The Governor said that “in the last 18 months, we have committed ourselves to the rapid transformation of our rural communities through massive infrastructural development, revival and revitalization of the health and educational sectors, frontally fighting poverty, and strengthening our partnership with security forces to secure our dear state.’’

Governor Uba Sani said that his administration has recorded remarkable achievements in key sectors in the last 18 months and he listed improved security, infrastructural development and human capital development.

He also said that there has been an improvement in the education sector, healthcare, agriculture and social intervention programmes as well as citizens rights protection, transparency and accountability, in the last 18 months.

“In the area of security, we have forged a solid partnership with federal security forces to secure Kaduna State. We have been giving them logistics support to enhance their operations. We distributed 150 operational vehicles and 500 motorcycles to security forces and the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS).

“The State Government, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, has sustained efforts in the improvement of deployment of additional troops to cover identified target areas in order to ensure sustainable peace across the State,” he added.

According to the Governor, the Kaduna State Security Trust Fund Law “will ensure funding support towards efforts to degrade bandits and terrorists in the state, with the productive engagement of the private sector.

“The Trust Fund will raise funds for the acquisition and deployment of even more security equipment, personnel and materials as well as training,’’ he added.

The Governor said that the efforts of the Peace Dialogue Group, which was established by the Kaduna State Government in collaboration with federal agencies and security services, has returned peace to Birnin Gwari.

He said that last Thursday, ‘’I reopened the famous and strategic Birnin Gwari Market, thus signaling the commencement of commercial activities. The long abandoned Birnin Gwari Road has come back to life.’’

On infrastructural development, the Governor disclosed that his administration has ‘’undertaken 68 road projects, covering a total of approximately 700 kilometres. We are also upgrading urban road infrastructure.’’

Governor Uba Sani said that “in the area of Human Capital Development, our administration has channeled its efforts towards the welfare and empowerment of the citizens through creative initiatives for women and youths, robust social investment programnes for poor and vulnerable persons, revitalizing the educational sector, and reviving the health sector.”

The Governor said that he has constructed 62 new secondary schools, comprising 39 Junior and 23 Senior Secondary Schools, across the three Senatorial zones.

“To ensure effective teaching and learning, 2,000 qualified teachers have been recruited, awaiting deployment to these newly completed schools,’’ he further said.

“Recognizing the continued demand for quality education, approval has been given for the construction of an additional 50 secondary schools across the state,’’ he added.

In addition, Kaduna State Government has “constructed 2,326 new classrooms, renovated 707 classrooms, supplied 30,742 two-seater pupil’s furniture, provided 3,704 Teachers Furniture, and constructed 918 VIP Cubicle Toilets and 51 hand pump boreholes in schools across the state.’’

The Governor further said that his administration is “building three Vocational and Technological Skills Acquisition Cities to equip our youths with the requisite skills to enable them take up jobs in industries and other businesses our administration has attracted to Kaduna State. The Skills Cities will graduate at least 12,000 youths annually.

“We are also remodeling the Panteka Market in Kaduna to become a major centre for skills acquisition, engaging over 38,000 artisans. We are carrying out comprehensive infrastructure upgrade at Panteka Market to make it an international center for skills acquisition and job creation,’’ he added.

According to him, Kaduna State Government is collaborating with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to provide Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) certification for graduates of the Skills Cities and Panteka Market.

“On Wednesday, 27th November, 2024, I commissioned the remodelled, upgraded and fully equipped Dabo Lere Memorial Hospital, Kaduna. We have embarked on the remodelling, equipping and upgrading of 13 General Hospitals in the 3 Senatorial Zones of the State,” he added.

The Governor listed General Hospital Gwantu, General Hospital Rigasa, General Hospital Maigana, in Sanga, Igabi and Soba local governments respectively, as some of the hospitals that have been remodeled, equipped and upgraded.

Others are Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Kafanchan, in Jemaá local government; General Hospital Giwa, in Giwa local government and Ikara General Hospital, located at Ikara local government.

The rest are General Hospital Sabon Tasha, Chikun LGA; General Hospital Saminaka, Lere LGA, and General Hospital Kachia, Kachia LGA.

On Agriculture, he said that his government recorded the largest Free Fertilizer Distribution in Kaduna’s History, adding that “we made history with the distribution of 500 trucks of fertilizer from which 240,000 bags were given out free to 120,000 smallholder farmers.’’

“By removing the financial barriers to agricultural inputs, we ensured that our farmers can cultivate with confidence and that our state will reap the rewards of higher productivity and income,’’ he added.

Giving key highlights of the 2025 budget, the Commissioner of Planning and Budget, Alhaji Muktar Ahmed disclosed that 26% was earmarked to Education and 16% to Health, totaling 42% to these critical sectors.

According to him, Recurrent Expenditure, including Debt Service, stands at ₦248,245,007,409.60 and total Capital Expenditure is ₦542,194,572,673.56.

Giving the expenditure breakdown, the commissioner said that ₦370,557,608,564.16 has been earmarked for the Economic Sector, comprising Agriculture, Public Works, Infrastructure

On the other hand, ₦358,070,895,572.14 is for the Social Sector which is made up of the Education, Health, Social Development General Administration: ₦48,328,500,762.08. The law and justice sector will have ₦ 13,482,575,184.78