Writing by Usman Sani; Editing by Abubakar Hamza.
Governor Uba Sani has advised states seeking to replicate the Kaduna Peace Model to first identify the root causes of their security challenges and allow communities to take ownership of peace-building initiatives.
He gave the advice while receiving members of the National Economic Council Implementation Monitoring Committee on a courtesy visit at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
Governor Uba Sani explained that his administration restored public trust by promoting justice, equity and fairness, while ensuring inclusive governance and even development across the state.
He noted that Kaduna had previously grappled with ethno-religious crises, banditry and kidnapping, but maintained that the home-grown and community-driven peace model had significantly reduced insecurity.
The Governor stressed that there had been no ethno-religious crisis in the State since he assumed office adding that the peace model had enabled farmers return to over five hundred thousand hectares of previously abandoned farmland, while schools and primary healthcare centres earlier closed due to insecurity had resumed operations.
Governor Uba Sani said his administration remains focused on education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure, highlighting investments in skills development, healthcare services and agricultural productivity.
He disclosed that about three hundred thousand out-of-school children had returned to classrooms, while twenty-six percent of the State annual budget has been allocated to education.
On healthcare, the Governor said all the Primary Healthcare Centres in the state had been upgraded to Level Two status and that sixteen previously moribund secondary healthcare facilities are remodelled and equipped.
The Governor also said agriculture now receives about thirteen percent of the state’s budget, exceeding the Malabo Declaration target of ten percent, adding that Kaduna currently leads the country in maize, tomato and ginger production.
He further announced that another two hundred and forty thousand smallholder farmers would soon receive free fertiliser, following a similar intervention that benefited farmers last year.
Governor Uba Sani also disclosed that Kaduna State was the first sub-national government to establish a Special Agro-Processing Zone aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains.
