President Muhammadu Buhari has continued the inauguration of projects executed by the Kaduna State Government, with stops at Zaria, heaping encomiums on Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Bamalli, the president noted that within the context of scarce resources and prevailing economic reality, the Kaduna State Government has done well for the people.
“I am pleased to be associated with your successes and initiatives.
“As they say in Hausa ‘Gani ya Kori ji’ (seeing is believing),” he said.
The president, who is on a four-day official visit to the state, had on Thursday inaugurated projects in Kafanchan and Kaduna metropolis of the state.
On Friday in Zaria, the northern senatorial district of Kaduna, the president inaugurated the remodelled Sabon Gari market with 3,400 shops; the Circular road with two spurs on River road and Kufena road; and the Queen Elizabeth Way.
At the Sabon-Gari market, Buhari appreciated the governor for rebuilding one of the oldest markets in the state and paying compensation of over N300 million to traders.
Inaugurating the market, the president jocularly said he would consider opening a consultancy service in the market, where a ‘‘Presidential Block’’ is named after him.
In his remarks, El-Rufai recalled that in August 2019, the president was in Zaria to inaugurate Phase 2 of the Zaria water project, providing a basic amenity that was not available for residents of Zaria for over 30 years.
“Our state is an agricultural State and this Emirate is associated with farming. We know Mr President’s passion for agriculture and we are grateful you appointed a son of the state to head the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
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“We look forward to more agricultural interventions in the state,” the governor said.
He pledged that the people of Kaduna and their elected representatives would continue to stand by the principles and values associated with the president, including honesty, integrity and commitment to public service.
Responding, Bamalli thanked the president for the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Health in providing a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at Ahamdu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, in line with the desire of the people of Zazzau.
“Today our people don’t have to travel to Kano, Sokoto or Abuja for medical screening with MRI machine,” he said.
The traditional ruler also commended El-Rufai for the Urban Renewal Projects embarked upon by his administration, acknowledging that the Emir of Zazzau’s Palace which has been in existence for centuries, was a major beneficiary of the projects.
“We will be grateful if Mr President will thank and bless our Governor for the gigantic legacy project ongoing in the Palace.
“Equally, Zaria people have benefitted in other areas like road construction and bridges which have expanded road networks as well as decongested traffic significantly,” he said.
On security, the Emir acknowledged efforts of the government, and solicited for more intervention by the federal government in safeguarding the area.
According to him, Zaria emirate is a gateway to all the states in the North West and neighbouring Niger Republic.
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