Sokoto state executive council has approved the sum of over N196 million for the construction and tarring of a 5 km bye pass road from Achida-Tungar Malam-Lambar Kwali in Wurno local government area.
The state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Isah Bajini Galadanchi stated this while briefing journalists after the state executive council meeting held at the council chamber of Government House, Sokoto on Wednesday.
Similarly, the council also approved the virement of the sum of N155 million from one aspect to other at the Ministry of Religious Affairs to provide motorcycles to the ulamah for the propagation of Islamic activities in the state.
According to the commissioner, the council also deliberated on the recommendations of the committee set up by the state government for the upgrading of Shehu Shagari College of Education to a university of education; and approved the setting up of an implementation committee.
The previous committee had recommended among other things the maintenance of the existing campus, establishment of a College of Education within the planned university because of the importance attached to the National Certificate for Education (NCE) program.
The committee also recommended that the take-off session of the proposed varsity shall be 2021/2022 and that an Entrepreneurship centre should be established upon take-off.
The committee, according to the commissioner, proposed a draft bill for the establishment of the new university, which it recommended should be sent to the state Ministry of Justice for consideration.
Other recommendations are: the provision and improvement of infrastructure and facilities of the college and ensuring that NCE programmes currently ran by the college are not jettisoned.
In another development, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Ali Inname, gave the update on the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. He said from April last year to date the state recorded 775 confirmed cases with 63 deaths while 15042 cases were tested.
Dr Innami added that for the last two months there has not been any case of COVID-19, just as about 26,000 people were vaccinated with nil side effect, while 34,000 people were targeted for the exercise.
He also explained that by 24 May another round of the vaccine will be administered, stating that already the collection and testing required for this purpose has started to ensure that the nil case record is maintained.
