The Kano State Government has showcased its 480-unit Gida-Gida Mega Housing City at Rijiyar Gwan-Gwan, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, as part of a high-powered project inspection tour organised by the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs to highlight the achievements of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration.
The delegation, led by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, comprised members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), journalists and social media influencers.
The tour took the delegation to some of the major projects executed or under construction by the state government, with particular attention to housing, education and infrastructure development.
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At the Gida-Gida Mega Housing City, the Commissioner for Housing Development, Architect Ibrahim Yakubu Adamu, showcased the layout of the project and explained its components and broader objectives.
The 480-unit housing city is part of the administration’s efforts to expand housing opportunities, address the state’s housing deficit and support the planned expansion and decongestion of Kano metropolis.
The project, located at Rijiyar Gwan-Gwan along the Maiduguri Road axis, was earlier approved by the Kano State Government at a cost of more than ₦113 billion. Available government information describes the project as part of a broader housing and urban-development strategy.
According to Architect Ibrahim, the housing units include five-bedroom duplexes, three-bedroom semi-detached houses and five-bedroom semi-detached houses, providing different categories of accommodation for prospective residents.
The Commissioner explained that the project is being developed as a comprehensive housing city rather than merely a collection of residential buildings, with supporting infrastructure and social amenities planned to make the area a functional community.
He also disclosed that the state government was pursuing another major housing intervention through the development of Rural Model Cities across the 36 local government areas outside the Kano metropolitan area.
Under the plan, 50 houses are expected to be constructed in each of the 36 non-metropolitan local government areas, giving a projected 1,800 housing units across the state.
The state government had earlier announced plans to construct low-cost housing estates across the 36 local government areas outside the metropolis, saying the initiative was aimed at providing affordable accommodation for low- and middle-income earners while promoting balanced development. The estates are expected to have basic infrastructure including roads, electricity and water supply.
The Housing Commissioner also highlighted the wider 5,000-housing-unit programme as another component of the administration’s housing agenda.
Visit To Gaya Emirate
As part of the tour, the delegation also visited the Gaya Emirate, where it paid homage to the Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim Abdulkadir.
The Emir commended the delegation for the visit and expressed appreciation for the decision to include Gaya among the places visited during the tour.
He particularly praised the delegation for choosing to visit Gaya out of the four emirates in Kano State.
The traditional ruler used the occasion to urge members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors to play a greater role in tackling the menace of fake news, especially as the country approaches another election season.
He called on editors and other media professionals to ensure that information disseminated to the public is properly verified, accurate and professionally presented.
The Emir further urged members of the Guild to ensure that every story released by the media is guided by the best interests of national unity, stressing the importance of responsible journalism in preserving peace, stability and cohesion.
His message placed particular emphasis on the responsibility of the media during election periods, when misinformation and disinformation can easily heighten tension and create divisions within society.
NGE Deputy President Commends Emir, Governor Yusuf
Speaking during the visit, the Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Dr. Sebastine Abu, commended the Emir of Gaya for the warm reception accorded the delegation.
Abu also commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for what he described as giant strides in education, infrastructure and other critical sectors of Kano State.
He said the opportunity to physically inspect projects had provided media professionals with a better understanding of the scale of development taking place across the state.
The NGE leadership also acknowledged the importance of responsible reporting in informing citizens about government programmes while ensuring that media reports remain factual, balanced and in the interest of society.
Delegation Visits Northwest University
The delegation subsequently visited Northwest University, Kano, where it was received by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Amina Salihi Bayero.
Professor Bayero briefed the visitors on a number of interventions and achievements recorded at the institution under the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Among the projects she highlighted was the ongoing construction of the Faculty of Humanities, which she said had reached about 90 per cent completion.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the faculty complex comprises about 200 offices, 50 lecture halls, theatre laboratories and a 300-capacity theatre, among other facilities.
She also disclosed that the construction of the Faculty of Science had been completed, with the facility providing about 200 offices.
Professor Bayero further said the Kano State Government had approved funds for the accreditation of academic courses at the university, an intervention expected to strengthen the institution’s academic standing and enable it to sustain and expand its programmes.
She also commended the state government for addressing outstanding financial obligations involving university staff, including the settlement of allowances and debts owed to members of staff.
The Vice-Chancellor said the interventions had contributed significantly to improving the academic and working environment of the university.
The state government has previously approved education-sector funding that included accreditation exercises and support for Northwest University, Kano, underscoring the administration’s stated emphasis on educational infrastructure and institutional development.
Education And Infrastructure Transformation
The tour provided the delegation with an opportunity to assess the administration’s development agenda beyond the capital, particularly its investments in education, housing and infrastructure.
Among the projects highlighted were the Gaya Polytechnic, the Tal’udu Bridge and extensive infrastructure development at Northwest University, Kano.
The Gaya Polytechnic is one of the administration’s major investments in technical and vocational education, with the state government saying the institution is expected to create employment opportunities and provide practical skills training for young people. The Emir of Gaya has previously commended the administration for executing impactful projects across the emirate.
The administration has also pursued urban renewal and road infrastructure projects as part of its stated objective of transforming Kano into a modern and better-organised city. The state government has described several of these interventions as part of its broader mega-city development agenda.
During the tour, the Vice-President also acknowledged the impact of the infrastructure interventions, particularly the Gaya Polytechnic, Tal’udu Bridge and developments at Northwest University, saying such projects had touched the lives of people across Kano State.
Waiya: Tour To Showcase Government Achievements
The tour was organised by the Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs under Commissioner Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya to give media professionals and opinion-shapers an opportunity to see major government projects firsthand.
The participation of members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, journalists and social media influencers was designed to strengthen public communication and enable the media to independently observe projects being executed or constructed by the administration.
The tour also provided an opportunity for interaction between government officials, traditional institutions, university management and media practitioners.
The delegation’s inspection of the projects comes against the backdrop of the Kano Government’s broader development agenda, which includes housing expansion, urban renewal, education infrastructure and investments intended to extend development beyond the metropolitan area.
With the Gida-Gida Mega Housing City, proposed Rural Model Cities, university infrastructure and other projects forming part of the tour, the state government presented the exercise as an opportunity to demonstrate the scale and geographical spread of its development interventions under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.