By Abdallah el-Kurebe
Sokoto State government and the Government of Pakistan are set to partner on enhancing the education and skills capacity of the people of the state.
Speaking when he received the Pakistani High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lt. Gen Agha Muhammad Umer Farooq, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House on Tuesday, Governor Aminu Tambuwal added that other areas of collaboration would include agriculture, vocational training, cultural exchanges and poverty eradication.
The Governor said that Sokoto shared common history and are bound by similarities in faith with Pakistan, adding that “the long standing relationship between the country and Nigeria required further expansion.”
He stressed that with experience in counter-insurgency measures, having suffered years of attacks from terrorists and other miscreants, Pakistan could help Nigeria to tackle her security challenges .
“We have benefitted from our experiences in the past. The Penal Code legal system we are using in the North now was adopted by the Northern regional government in the First Republic from Pakistan and other countries.
“Personally, I was taught by Pakistanis while training as a teacher. I believe we can still benefit from your expertise of many areas,” Tambuwal added.
He said Pakistan’s poverty eradication strategies, and agricultural expansion programmes had lifted millions of people out of poverty, and Sokoto government will tap from that knowledge.
Earlier, Farooq praised the educational achievements of many Nigerians who had set high standards across the globe, adding that Pakistan and Nigeria cherished shared values and were “both striving for the upliftment of civic and societal demands of the two countries.”
He said Sokoto government could benefit from Pakistan’s educational achievements as well as called for a closer collaboration on all areas between the two governments.
..Poly To Introduce Surveying Course
In order to encourage the enrollment of indigenes of his state for surveying courses, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has assured for the introduction of the course in the state’s Polytechnic.
The governor stated this at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors’ 50th Annual General Meeting, which holds between July 27th and 31st 2015 in Sokoto.
Tambuwal further observed that the number of people, who had taken to surveying as a profession in the state, was low.
“This association has a responsibility for exploring ways of improving the situation, through massive sensitization.
“On our part, we shall continue to encourage candidates wishing to enroll for the course in the polytechnics and universities. We shall also support the state Polytechnic to introduce Surveying Course in no distance future,” he stated.
The governor stressed the need for surveyors to rely more on modern tools in order to enhance their jobs. “Although most surveyors rely mainly on the traditional tools, they must be able to grasp and apply new and improved methods that has been brought by modern technology.”
Tambuwal also underscored the importance of training “in keeping pace with the increasing global challenge and the changing dynamics of their profession.
“Benign environment,” he added, “must be ensured through the provision of modern operational equipment, to make the job easier, faster, accurate and enjoyable.”
In his speech, the President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Bern Omo Akhigbe called on Sokoto state government to take a cue from the federal government by establishing the office of Surveyor-General of the state.
“The Surveyor-General when properly empowered to do his job, will be an asset to the government and help to drive all development and economic programmes for effective service delivery,” Akhigbe stated.
