Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Tuesday said his administration was determined to turn the corner on the various negative statistics in the health sector in the state.
In that regard, the state government said it will partner with the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) to train nurses and midwives from the 23 local government areas of the state.
Speaking when he declared open the 5th National Conference of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the university, Tambuwal said he has made education the number priority of his administration, and will rely on the expertise of groups and institutions for optimum result.
According to him, the government will also adopt, and implement research results concluded by the university’s Energy Research Centre, which he described as one of the best in the country.
In that regard, he said from next budge circle, special grants will be set aside by the government to assist research institutions in the state to carry out research in areas of need to the Sokoto and neighbouring states.
Tambuwal noted that the issue of insecurity has led governments at all levels to divert funding from other key and strategic sectors of the economy in order to respond to the challenges of insecurity.
“This diversion and the erosion of confidence of foreign investors have impacted negatively on Nigeria’s drive to sustainable economic growth and development.
This conference, it is hoped, will provide the avenue for social scientists to examine thoroughly the factors and forces responsible for Nigeria’s drift to a state of mounting insecurity and the implications for national integration and development,” he added.
While commending the efforts of governments at state and federal levels for being alive to their responsibilities, this new focus, he said, has resulted in improved security across the country.
He said Sokoto state government is about to institutionalise coherent security mechanisms that will consolidate the peace and security the state is known for.
Meanwhile, Sokoto State has started a process of documenting all unemployed youths with a view to properly streamline government policies for planning purposes. The initial phase of the policy will see government register up to 25,000 unemployed within a two year time frame.
In a statement to commemorate the United Nation’s International Youth Day issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said the documentation will also assist government in placing all unemployed persons into various job opportunities and skill acquisition centres to be created after necessary budgetary approvals by the state House of Assembly.
He said the policy is part of his administration’s plans to curb unemployment, ensure massive empowerment and boost economic well-being of the populace.
According to him, it will also assist in properly placing skilled professionals in their areas of expertise in the various employment ventures to be created by the state government.
He added that government takes issue of economic empowerment very serious, as such, different categories of income support will be implemented for the benefit of the populace.
The statement added that an inter-sectoral synergy will be created to ensure that the problem of youth unemployment is effectively tackled.
While appealing to all affected persons to cooperate with government to ensure success of the programme, Tambuwal assured that the exercise will be carried out in transparent manner to meet accepted standards.
