Kaduna State Government has held a stakeholders engagement meeting with Civil Society Groups and other professional bodies on the security and other eight policies of the state government with a view to receive feedback from the participants.
Governor, Nasiru Elrufai Chaired the meeting which was attended by the state top government officials, Heads of Various Security agancies of the state, religious and Communities and other critical stakeholders as well as students of tertiary Institutions
During the engagement meeting, nine critical issues were discussed which include security, local government election, the State Urban Renewal Project, Public Service Reforms, KASUDA activities, Social Protection Policy, Metropolitan Authority, Preaching Regulatory Council and other National issues.
Governor Elrufai said the meeting was aimed at informing the people on what the state government is doing for the participants to give their suggestions and advise government on how to improve some of it’s policies.
According to him, they also briefed the participants on the ongoing Military and police operations in the state against the bandits which has been quite successful sofar.
He pointed that, Incidences of kidnapping and banditry have reduced while the Operation was till ongoing across the State, stressing that, the state government had renewed the operation to another month.
Elrufai maintained that, the measures taken by the State government for shutting down Telecome networks, restricting markets and motor cycles are yielding positive result in the fight against banditry despite the difficulties imposed on members of the public
He pointed out that, they have gotten suggestions from stakeholders that the state government would use to modify some of the state government policies.
On the Urban Renewal projects in Kaduna, Governor Nasiru Elrufai said President Mohammadu Buhari is expected to Inaugurate some of the completed projects by ending of this month while the ongoing ones would be completed before the end of his tenure.
Elrufai expressed hope that, Kaduna would be next state that would produce beautiful cities such as Kafanchan, Zaria and Kaduna.
The Governor also expressed satisfaction with the level of support got from the clerics on the religion Preaching Regulatory Council established which he said they are all committed to ensuring that, preaching preaches peace not violence and division.
He however urged religious leaders to start taking proactive measures in their worship places against any security treat from the suspected Boko Haram who were influx in to the state.
On the National issue, who explained the ongoing effort of federal government on some of it’s policies, the Governor appealed to the participants to create awareness among the public for them to be prepare on the possibility of hike in petroleum price which is expected to commence from the beginning of next year.
Governor Elrufai noted that the activities being carry out by KASUPDA, was in the interest of the general public, not to create hardship among the people of the state.
He assured that a number of social protection programmes have been introduced by the federal and the state governments to reduce the hardship being faced by people in the state and pledged to continue to introduce new once to cover all the eligible people.
During the meeting, the Governor also announced Hajiya Umma Ahamad as new administrators of Birnin Gwari local government while Mrs Nita for Jaba local government council.
Various suggestions were presented to the state government by the participants as a way forward to the challenges bedevilling the state.
While some students appealed to the governor reconsider hike in school, saying that, many of them cannot afford to pay the school fees.
However other students called on the state government to extend time hours of motor cycle operators especially in the night from 7pm to 8pm to enable students to ease their difficulties on transportation especially going back home in the evening time.
Further, security agencies responded to various questions raised by the participants on security.
AMINU DALHATU