Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has advised states seeking to replicate the Kaduna peace model to first identify the symptoms and drivers of their peculiar security challenges. Speaking when the Implementation Monitoring Committee of the National Economic Council visited him at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the governor emphasized that communities must own the peace model, believe in it, and drive it for positive results.
Addressing Trust Deficit and Injustice
Governor Sani recalled that upon assuming office, his administration faced a significant trust deficit between the government and the people. "This was the first thing we addressed," he said. The second area was justice, equity, and fairness, as politicians had been exploiting these issues for selfish ends. He noted that conflict entrepreneurs hiding under religion and ethnicity had previously wreaked havoc in Kaduna State.
The governor disclosed that security challenges in Kaduna comprised ethno-religious crises on one hand and kidnapping and banditry on the other. "From our statistics and data, we realized that we lost more lives as a result of the religious crises in Kaduna State than even banditry. And that is the reason why we sat down and looked at the situation," he added.
Success in Curbing Ethno-Religious Crises
According to Governor Sani, his government has resolved ethno-religious crises through a policy of inclusion and even development across all 23 local governments. "I make bold to say that there has never been any incidence of ethno-religious crisis in Kaduna State since I became Governor on May 29, 2023," he disclosed. He attributed the success of the Kaduna peace model to its home-grown, community-driven nature, which has drastically reduced banditry and kidnapping.
Many states have reached out to replicate the model. The governor advised them to "relegate politics and focus on governance. When we came in, we said the issue of politics is over. We focused on governance; it has nothing to do with political affiliation, religious affiliation, or geography."
Reclaiming Land and Reopening Schools
Governor Sani reported that over 500,000 hectares of land abandoned due to insecurity have been reclaimed, allowing farmers to return to their farms. More than 100 schools in frontline local governments that were abandoned due to insecurity have been reopened. Additionally, over 150 primary healthcare facilities that were closed have been made operational.
His administration is focused on four main sectors: education, healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructural development. On education, the governor noted that Kaduna State is leading in skill-based education in Nigeria. "The Vice President, if you can recall, three months ago, sent a circular, urging other states to copy our policy on skill-based education," he said. The Minister of Education also stated that Kaduna's Institutes of Vocational and Skill Development are more equipped than any University of Technology in Nigeria.
"We have graduated about 4,300 trainees in our Institute of Vocational here in Kaduna. And all of them have been given certification by the National Board of Technical Education that will enable them work anywhere within and outside Nigeria," he added.
Reducing Out-of-School Children
Governor Sani recalled that there were about 550,000 out-of-school children when he assumed office. Based on UNICEF and Bureau of Statistics records, "we have taken back at least 300,000 of them back to school." He emphasized that education is a major priority, with at least 26% of the budget allocated to it since his administration began.
On healthcare, the governor affirmed that quality healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone, especially the downtrodden. Kaduna State is the only subnational to have moved all its 255 Primary Healthcare Centres to level 2 status, manned by qualified personnel. When he came in, about 20 secondary healthcare facilities were moribund; 16 have been remodeled and equipped. He invited President Bola Tinubu to commission a 300-bed hospital, which is about the best health facility in the north.
Agriculture as Mainstay
Governor Sani described agriculture as the mainstay of Kaduna State's economy, employing 60% of the workforce and contributing 43% of its Gross Domestic Product. The agriculture budget increased from N1.4 billion inherited in 2023 to N123 billion, surpassing the Malabo Declaration's recommendation of 10% allocation. Kaduna is leading in maize, tomato, and ginger production in Nigeria.
The government has been supporting smallholder farmers. "Last year, we distributed 900 trucks of free fertilizer to over 240,000 of them. No state has done this in Nigeria," he said. He added that within the next week, he plans to repeat the same support to at least 240,000 smallholder farmers.
Governor Sani also disclosed that Kaduna State was the first subnational to launch a Special Agro-Processing Zone, which promises to be a gamechanger in the agricultural value chain.
