Kano approves site for proposed AKK pipeline project
…Ratifies N393m for Challawa Industrial Layout Road reconstruction
By Salim Umar Ibrahim, Kano
Kano state government has declared Tamburawa in Dawakin Kudu local government area along Zaria Road as planning location for the siting of the proposed gas industrial layout under the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline project.
The state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who announced this while briefing journalists, said the State Executive Council gave the approval at its weekly meeting held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.
He said the approval was given to the state government NNPC-AKK Pipeline Project Delivery and Gas Industrialization Committee (KNSG-PDIC) to set up its planning location at Tamburawa adjacent to Challawa Water Works where the Kano/AKK Terminal Gas station is proposed to be built.
Malam Garba stated that while a draft of the proposed layout has been produced, the council directed the state Bureau for Land Management to liaise with the committee and come up with final documents for the new industrial layout.
The commissioner also revealed that the council has ratified the award of contract for the reconstruction of Challawa Industrial Layout Road network at the cost of N393, 237, 697.00 million.
He pointed out that the road is of vital economic importance to the economy of the state in view of its proximity to the ongoing construction of Dala Inland Dry Port at Zawachiki that is expected to impact on the development of manufacturing and industrial activities when it commences operation.
The council, he added, has given approval for the release of N23,883,464.45million to the State Radio Corporation for the supply and installation of dehydrator, binary power supply and exciter for its transmitters at Jogana Transmission Station.
Malam Garba noted that the two components, which are essential items for the effective functioning of the transmission, have all gone faulty beyond repair.
The commissioner also disclosed that approval has also been given by the council for the payment of N80,000,000 one year allowances from backlog of four years’ bursary allowances to the 59 MBBS, B.sc Masters and Ph.D. Kano state sponsored students at the Near East University, Cyprus.
He said the council also directed government verification team to authenticate the students and their academic performance before the implementation of a recommendation for instalment payment of the cumulative sum of N1,123,184,893.5 as at November 26, 2020 to the university in two tranches of 50 per cent.
Malam Garba further revealed that with the setting in of the rainy season, the council has approved the sum of N85,230,234 for the conduct of the annual drainage clearance exercise in the metropolis.
The commissioner said the measure is to avert flooding from siltation of drainages as a result of indiscriminate waste disposal by people which affect free flow of water, posing threat to life and property.
He said the council has also approved the relocation of the ministry of environment’s nursery located at Rano town to a new site within the local government.
The commissioner said the decision was informed by the fact that the nursery has been inactive for decades due to lack of reliable source of water supply, persistently being encroached by settlement and request from member representing Rano constituency at the state House of Assembly to construct an ultra-modern Jumu’at Mosque and Islamiyya school at the location.
The council, he said has given approval for the payment N32,610,000 as bereaved allowances to 664 deceased civil servants of various grades in the state who passed away from 2017 to February, 2021.
He said payment of bereaved family allowance due to their families/heirs for the civil servants who died in active service is in line with extant civil service rule.
Malam Garba announced that as part of efforts to improve health care delivery services, the council has given approval for the provision of uniforms (yards) for 17,480 staff of various health cadres at the cost of N193,639,136.71.
He listed some of the beneficiaries of the two sets of uniforms to be provided to include doctors, nurses, midwives, laboratory scientists, technology/technical assistants, image scanning/radiographers/x-ray technicians, physiotherapists, a technical assistant, dental therapist/technical assistant, dietician/nutritionist, among others.
The commissioner also indicated that the council has approved contract review from N331,889,971.51 to N370,773,987.95 based on new harmonized rate for general renovation works at the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp site, Kusalla Dam in Karaye local government area.
He said the contract was initially awarded in 2016 and as work progressed, prices of materials and labour charges skyrocketed which the contractor lamented.
Malam Garba stated that the council has given approval for the state government to partner with the Sugarcane Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria for the cultivation of sugarcane in commercial quantity in the country.
He said the measure would go a long way in creating young farmers and entrepreneurs which is in line with the state government policy of skills acquisition programme that will uplift thousands of youths out of poverty and increase revenue generation for the state.
The commissioner also announced approval by the council for additional works in the contract for the upgrading of Gidan Shettima to serve as Emirate Council Headquarters for the five Emirs in the state at the cost of N49,893,466.
The additional work, he said, include provision of office of the chairman, construction of additional floor to accommodate office for four Emirs, increase of the size of the council chamber and public gallery to adequately accommodate expanded members of the council and construction of mosque and car park.
The commissioner disclosed that the council has ratified the approval for the renovation and upgrading of Dawakin Tofa District Head Palace in Dawakin Tofa local government area.
He said contract for the renovation exercise, which was initially awarded at the cost of N78,801,280.82 had to be revised to N99,340,773.87 as a result of some additional vital works introduced that included among others, main Fada, gallery, Hakimi wing, VIP guest wing, new wall, Shamaki, Generator house.
