29th August, 2014
Katsina State Government has constructed 361 clinics in the last seven years as part of efforts to bring healthcare closer to the people at the grassroots, Governor Ibrahim Shema said.
He said this at the Executive Session of the 10th edition of the All Nigerian Editors Conference on Friday in Katsina.
The governor said the clinics were being utilized to address primary health issues like immunization and other basic health challenges in the rural areas.
In addition, the government had introduced an ambulance service in all local government areas to attend to the immediate health needs of the rural dwellers.
Shema noted that patients suffering from malaria and kidney problems receive free treatment in government health facilities.
He said that the state government had also constructed 250-bed orthopaedic hospital to cater for accident victims and spinal cord patients in the state, adding that, more than 34 girl-child primary schools had been constructed as part of measures to enhance female education in the state while 100 Almajiri schools were built to reduce street begging and improve education in the state.
According to him, each of the Almajiri schools has a population of over 100 pupils. “Education at primary and secondary levels is also free in the state. The state government is also paying WAEC and NECO examination fees for all students in the state,” he said.
On the development of the solid mineral sector, Shema said that the state House of Assembly had enacted a law to make it easy for investors to operate in the state.
The governor said that the state government had equally established a youth craft village to train the youth in various vocational skills.
Shema said that the state government had also constructed a six-lane ring round as part of efforts to enhance inter-connectivity and reduce traffic congestion in the state capital while eight other roads within the city had been upgraded to dual carriage roads.
He said that the various projects and programmes were tailored to satisfy the needs of the people, adding that the government had not borrowed to execute projects in the last seven years.
He said that the administration had also procured 120 vehicles to boost transportation within and outside the state.