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Mastercard Foundation, SHA to train 25,000 Kano women, youths on leveraging farming
By Muhammad Nur Tijani
An International Non-Governmental Organisation, Self Help Africa (SHA), with support from Mastercard Foundation, says it will train 25,000 women and youths in Kano on agricultural production, market and relevant skills to become self-reliant.
Self Help Africa Programme Manager, Kano, Hajara Mohammed, made this known at the launch of the Youth in Work Project on Thursday in Kano.
According to her, the workshop is organised to identify priority trades that will enable youths to gain employment and become self-employed.
She said that the training would enable them access to bank loans and support from government and other agencies.
The programme manager added that the goal of the project was strengthening food systems to promote increased value chain and employment opportunities for young men and women between the ages of (18-35)in the state.
Mohammed further said that the project’s intervention covers Gaya , Dawakin-Kudu, Kumbotso, Tudun- Wada and Kura Local Government Areas of the state
She said, “The overall outcome is for young men and women have new employment and/or improved employment conditions along the value chains of horticulture, millet, sorghum, soyabean and groundnut.
“Our total target participants is 25, 000 (60%Women) and the duration is one year.
”The ultimate goal is to break the cycle of poverty in the communities and make them self-reliant.
” Youth in Work project will implement Safeguarding through the following strategies.
“The Youth in Work project will foster an environment where all participants feel respected, valued, and safe to express their opinions and concerns.
“Establish clear mechanisms for reporting and addressing safeguarding concerns, ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels of the project.”
According to Mohammed, it will also ensure that the Youth in Work Project aligns with SHA’s safeguarding policies.
It will also ensure that all staff, volunteers, and stakeholders are trained on the safeguarding policy and procedures of SHA,” she explained.
The country director, Joy Aderele, who addressed the stakeholders via zoom, restated the commitment of SHA to training women and youths to become self-reliant.
Aderele said that their aim was to transition communities out of long-term poverty through work that gives them greater control over their futures and provides a better quality of life.
Muideen Adigun, in his presentation on Code of Conduct and Anti Corruption of SHA, said that Self Help Africa’s policy aims to help them to conduct their business in an honest and ethical manner.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption and are committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships wherever we operate.
“SHA will always apply the highest and most stringent standard. I will not commit any act, or consent to any act being committed, that could cause physical or psychological harm or suffering to any person,” he explained.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) Dr Faruk Kurawa, restated the commitment of his agency to using the farmers and agriculture agents as tools of promoting food security as well as employment creation.
He added that KNARDA’s aim was to support and expand the agricultural industry by putting into practice policies, initiatives, and projects that improve agricultural production, food security, and rural livelihoods.
NAN
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A delegation of ethnic community leaders in Kano State on Friday visited the Commander of 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Tukur, to commend the Army’s efforts in maintaining security across the state.
The delegation, led by the Head of the Ethnic Community Leaders, Eze Ndigbo of Kano, Dr. Boniface Ibekwe, included prominent traditional rulers such as the Oba of Yoruba of Kano, Muritala Alimi; Sarkin Northern-Minority, Abubakar Obochi; and Sarki Edo, Kano, Deacon Fred Aigbe.
Dr. Ibekwe expressed gratitude to the officers and soldiers for their dedication to defending the nation’s territorial integrity.
He highlighted the strong collaboration between security agencies and ethnic community leaders as crucial to maintaining peace and stability in the state.
“Kano, often described as a ‘mini Nigeria’ due to its diverse ethnic composition, requires careful handling and collective efforts to sustain harmony,” he said.
The delegation also commended the Brigade’s swift response to recent security threats in Shanono and raised concerns regarding the Sabon-Gari area, presenting video and audio evidence of incidents circulating on social media. Dr. Ibekwe assured the Commander of the continued support of community leaders in promoting peace.
Brig. Tukur welcomed the leaders and reaffirmed their role as key stakeholders in ensuring security.
He emphasized that security was a shared responsibility and urged leaders to sensitize their communities to remain vigilant.
Tukur cautioned against the misuse of social media for spreading disinformation and stressed that sustainable development is essential for lasting peace in Kano State.
He assured leaders of the Army’s readiness to continue supporting collaborative initiatives aimed at maintaining stability.
The Commander urged ethnic leaders to remain security-conscious and provide vital information to assist security agencies in carrying out their duties.
NAN
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A philanthropist, and Commissioner for Environment in Katsina, Hamza Sule-Faskari, has distributed Ramadan assistance worth N122 million to thousands of vulnerable persons across the 11 Local Government Areas of Funtua Zone.
The intervention, aimed at easing hardship during the holy month of Ramadan, comprised food items valued at N60 million and cash donations totaling N62 million,
The commissioner, during the event on Sunday in Faskari, said the gesture benefited orphans, widows, internally displaced persons (IDPs), youths, politicians, community development associations, and other less-privileged members of society.
According to him, the food items included 400 bags of rice, 500 bags of millet, and 300 bags of maize, carefully allocated to ensure widespread reach and impact across communities in the zone.
Sule-Faskari, also the Wamban Faskari and Sadaukin Kasar Hausa, said the initiative was part of his sustained commitment to supporting vulnerable groups, particularly during Ramadan, a period that emphasises compassion, charity, and community support.
The commissioner said that the initiative was designed to provide relief and enable about 5,000 beneficiaries to observe the Ramadan fast with dignity.
He urged the residents to use the holy period to strengthen their devotion to Allah through prayers, acts of charity, and peaceful coexistence, while also praying for leaders at all levels to succeed in delivering sustainable development and prosperity.
In his remarks, the state Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bala Abu-Musawa, described Sule-Faskari as a committed party stalwart who consistently prioritizes the welfare of party members and vulnerable citizens.
According to him, the commissioner’s annual Ramadan interventions and other humanitarian efforts had strengthened unity, loyalty, and grassroots support for the party across the state.
Traditional leaders, Islamic clerics, and community representatives, who spoke at the event commended the commissioner’s generosity, describing it as timely and impactful.
They also urged other political leaders and wealthy individuals to emulate the gesture in supporting vulnerable populations.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Faskari Local Government Area, Surajo Daudawa, announced that the council would pay electricity bills for the residents for one year as part of efforts to cushion the economic burden on households.
NAN
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By Aminu Garko
Kano, Former Military Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to put aside their differences and unite in the defence of the nation’s sovereignty, emphasising the need for national solidarity in the face of external threats.
Abubakar expressed deep concern over reported comments by US President Donald Trump, describing the situation as a “grave threat to the country’s hard-won unity.”
Abubakar,, who is currently in London told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in a telephone interview on Tuesday that Trump’s comments could jeopardise Nigeria’s peace.
Abubakar emphasised that unity, wisdom, and diplomacy were essential in navigating this critical moment, adding that division and pride would only exacerbate the situation.
He also called on the United States to support Nigeria in combating insecurity rather than issuing threats.
Abubakar, however, said strategic dialogue was needed to engage Washington and Trump through quiet diplomacy so as to de-escalate the situation and address the underlying issues.
He stressed, “Unity, wisdom, and diplomacy must take precedence over division and pride at this critical moment.”
He urged the US to support Nigeria in combating insecurity rather than issuing threats of an attack on the West African nation.
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