Governor Uba Sani has disclosed that he inherited a Kaduna
State which has immense potential, but was bedevilled with security challenges,
infrastructure gaps and social indicators that required urgent attention.
The Governor spoke at a workshop for senior Government
officials organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations(NIPR), as
part of the ongoing Nigeria Public Relations Week, Croc City 2026, holding in
Kaduna.
Themed ‘’From Policy To Public Trust: Strategic
Communication For Vision Alignment And Governance Delivery For Renewed Hope,’’
participants at the workshop included Commissioners, Special Advisers,
Counsellors and Permanent Secretaries as well as other senior Government
officials.
Speaking at the event, Governor Uba Sani said that ‘’Kaduna
is not where it was. Kaduna is by far a better place today and even more
exciting is the fact that Kaduna is on the move and set to do even greater
things and attain higher heights.’’
He disclosed that his administration understood from the
outset that incremental adjustments would not take the State to the desired
heights, adding that what was required is a disciplined reorientation of
governance itself.
According to him, his Government then vowed that vision must
translate into measurable impact or else it will remain an aspiration.
‘’We institutionalised a performance framework built around
Key Performance Indicators, ensuring that every ministry, department, and
agency operates with clarity of purpose and accountability of outcome,’’ he
added.
The Governor said that he also structured his agenda around
seven strategic pillars upon assuming office in 2023 and the results have
started manifesting positively in the last two and half years.
He said the seven pillars include safety and security;
infrastructure development; strengthening of institutions; trade and
investment; agriculture; human capital development; and citizens engagement.
Governor Uba Sani pointed out that these pillars are not
isolated priorities but ‘’interconnected levers, designed to function as a
coherent system; each reinforcing the other, each contributing to a broader
objective: the transformation of Kaduna State into a secure, prosperous, and
inclusive society.’’
He argued that security is the foundation upon which all
progress rests, adding that without it, ‘’ farmers cannot cultivate their land,
businesses cannot invest, and communities cannot thrive.’’
The Governor disclosed that he worked closely with the
Office of the National Security Adviser and the military high command, to
establish new military bases in high-risk areas, including Giwa, Birnin Gwari,
and Southern Kaduna.
‘’We strengthened mobility and response through the
deployment of over 150 operational vehicles and 500 motorcycles to security
agencies. In our urban centres, we constituted a Joint Task Force that has
significantly reduced incidents of street crime and banditry generally,’’ he
added.
Governor Uba Sani further said that his Government also
focused on structural outcomes.
‘’We have reclaimed over 20,000 hectares of previously
inaccessible farmland, enabling farmers to return to productive activity,
especially in places like Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Kargarko.
‘’ We have facilitated the resettlement of over 1,000
displaced persons and continue to provide targeted support to more than 117,000
internally displaced persons, with particular attention to women and
children,’’ he added.
The Governor also disclosed that his administration has
established the first forensic laboratory in Northern Nigeria, which has
strengthened investigative capacity.
‘’The Kaduna Incident Report Centre— KAD-IR, now provides a
24-hour platform for real-time emergency response. Early warning systems are in
place to detect and defuse tensions before they escalate,’’ he revealed.
According to him, Kaduna State has institutionalised peace
dialogues, established local peace councils, and implemented a rehabilitation
and reintegration framework that prioritises skills acquisition over financial
inducement as part of its non-kinetic strategy.
He argued that although the result is not perfect but
‘’security is improving, confidence is returning, and economic activity is
gradually expanding in areas that were once considered inaccessible. All of
this is encapsulated in what we now call the Kaduna Peace Model.’’
Governor Uba Sani also said that his administration has made
giant strides in the education sector, by making deliberate investments to
expand access and improve quality.
‘’We have constructed 736 new classrooms and renovated over
1,200 existing ones. We have recruited 10,000 teachers and trained more than
33,000 education personnel in modern teaching methodologies and digital
skills,’’ he said.
The Governor highlighted that ‘’one of our most significant
achievements has been the reduction in the number of out-of-school children :
from approximately 550,000 to 187,720 within two years.
‘’This progress reflects not only investment, but also
coordination, data-driven interventions, and sustained engagement with
communities,’’ he further said.
Governor Uba Sani also said that his Government is aligning
education with the demands of a modern economy.
‘’The establishment of the Institute of Vocational Training
and Skills Development marks a decisive step toward bridging the gap between
education and employment.
‘’ Through training in ICT, mechatronics, renewable energy,
and other high-demand sectors, we are preparing our youth not just for jobs,
but for productivity and innovation,’’ he said.
The Governor also said that he has expanded access to
healthcare and improved the quality of health facilities and strengthen systems
in the last two and half years.
‘’We have upgraded 255 Primary Healthcare Centres to Level-2
facilities and established 23 Centres of Excellence; one in each Local
Government Area. We have delivered a 300-bed specialist hospital to provide
advanced medical services within the state, reducing the need for costly
medical travel,’’ he said.
In terms of infrastructure development, he said that his
Government has initiated approximately 150 road projects, covering over 1,300
kilometres across all 23 Local Government Areas.
He argued that the projects ‘’ are part of a deliberate
strategy to connect rural production centres to urban markets, to reduce travel
time, and to stimulate commerce.’’
The Governor said that he has increased the agricultural
budget from ₦1.48 billion in 2023 to over ₦74 billion this year, distributed
over 900 trucks of fertiliser to farmers and enrolled more than 100,000
smallholders into crop insurance schemes to protect them against risk.
‘’Through the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in
Chikun and Kubau, we are moving from subsistence farming to value-added
agribusiness; creating jobs, increasing incomes, and enhancing export
potential,’’ he added.
According to him, Kaduna State has created an enabling
environment for private sector-led growth.
He said that his administration has actualised 23
investments valued at over $743 million between 2023 and 2025, spanning
agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and other key sectors.
‘’In addition, we have developed a pipeline of investments
worth approximately $2.77 billion. This brings our total investment portfolio
to over $3.5 billion; a clear indication that confidence in Kaduna is
strengthening,’’ he added.
The Governor also said that his administration has made
significant strides in social protection and inclusion, by opening over 2.5
million new bank accounts for underbanked citizens and expanded financial
inclusion.
He disclosed that his Government has deployed over ₦18
billion in targeted support to households, farmers, and small businesses.
‘’Our free CNG mass transit scheme has already benefited
more than 1.4 million passengers, reducing the cost of transportation and
easing the burden on families,’’ he added.
Governor Uba Sani promised that ‘’through Project 255, we
are guaranteeing ₦100 million in public investment to each ward, ensuring that
development reaches every community; urban and rural alike.’’
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