LG Poll: Ganduje approves compulsory drug test for candidates

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has directed that candidates seeking elective posts in the Jan. 26, local councils poll in the state, be subjected to compulsory drug test.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said this in a statement in Kano on Friday.

Garba said that the governor gave the directive at the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting on Wednesday at the Government House, Kano.

He said that the test was part of measures aimed at ridding the state of drug abuse among political office holders.

Garba restated government’s commitment towards checking drug abuse in the state, saying that sanctions would be placed on those found with trace of illicit drug use.

The commissioner also said that the council approved a change of the name for the bill seeking amendment to the state Entrepreneurial and Skill Acquisition Centre law 2019 to Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre 2020.

The gesture was to encourage other philanthropists to emulate Dangote’s contributions towards the state economic development and empowerment of the people.

“The bill will be transmitted to the state House of Assembly for substitution and possible passage,” he said.

According to him, the council has also approved N40.598 million for maintenance works on 14 selected roads in Kano metropolis through direct labour, while N43.865 million was approved as expenditure fund for the 2021 budget.

Garba said that N99 million was approved for the completion of an office block and other construction work at the state Qur’anic and Islamiyya Schools Board.

He said the council also approved N11 million and another 25 million for the purchase of furniture and ICT facilities to facilitate the take-off of the newly established Policy Strategy, Implementation and Evaluation Directorate.

The commissioner said the council also approved N90 million for feeding of boarding students in 13 science and technical colleges for a period of five weeks as well as provision of hospital equipment at Dawakiji Primary Health Centre.

“The council has given approval for the request for autonomous/independent status of the state Bureau of Statistics to be directly reporting to the office of the governor in accordance with part III sub-section (3) of the Kano State Law 5, 2 2014,” the commissioner added.