Economic Confidential, December, 2008

STATE

KNSG Commissions Internet Cafes in Higher Institutions

… Provides Relief to Fire Victims

Kano state government has given an assurance that it will partner with the private sector toward putting the state firmly on the path of becoming a principal player and in the Information and Communication technology revolution.

The state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau made the assertion during the commissioning of Internet Cafes in three higher institutions in the state performed symbolically at the School of Technology, Kano.

Governor Shekarau explained the state government’s ICT policy, a core part of the state Economic Development Roadmap placed emphasis on the education sector with the objective of making the state self – reliant in ICT by developing skilled manpower in the field.

He stated that the government planned to make the use of ICT as mandatory at all levels of education while upgrading and transforming libraries into digital ones.

The governor maintained that his administration has embarked upon a number of initiatives to promote ICT in its secondary schools and higher institutions including training of lectures and students as well as the provision of modern ICT facilities.

Malam Shekarau therefore described the cyber cafes as a multi – stakeholder strategy aimed at promoting e – learning in the state, explaining that the cafes were built and equipped by the government in conjunction with Megatech Networks and the beneficiary institutions.

He urged students and academic staff to make optimal use of the cyber cafes so that they can have a more fulfilling educational experience.

In his remarks, the Managing director of Megatech Engineering Ltd., Madam Megal Bruce said the occasion marked a milestone in the companies’ corporate social responsibility commitments to Kano state, promising that the company would continuously collaborate with the state government to achieve the objectives envisaged in the government’s ICT policy.

In another development, the committee set up by the state government on Kofar Ruwa Yankatako Market Fire Incident Relief has submitted its report to the state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

Presenting the report at the government house in Kano, the chairman of the Committee and Special Adviser to the governor on Student Affairs, Dr. Tijjani Muhammad Naniya said the state government released N102 million representing 40 percent of the total loss by the victims to be disbursed as assistance.

Dr. Naniya who stated that the committee was guided due process in the discharge of its assignment explained that of the 642 victims, 627 presented themselves before the committee and were given various amounts of money totaling N98.7 million.

He noted that 15 people who could not turn up physically before the committee had their assistance returned to the government coffers explaining that cheques were issued to beneficiaries after a painstaking verification and screening exercise by the Kofar Ruwa Market Association and the committee.

Responding, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau stated that the assistance was meant to alleviate the sufferings of the victims and not to compensate them, as only Allah is capable of restoring the lost property and capital.