The outgoing Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has inaugurated the Kano NUJ Plaza constructed by his administration and donated to the state Council of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ).
Ganduje also inaugurated the NUJ Conference Hall, also rehabilitated and modernised by his administration, to enable the union host local and international conferences in order to generate revenue to finance its services.
Performing the two functions simultaneously at the NUJ Secretariat by Farm Centre road in Kano on Sunday, he explained that his government constructed the plaza and rehabilitated the conference hall to appreciate and reward the good working relationship that existed between his administration and journalists in the state.
Ganduje commended working journalists in the state for informing, educating and enlightening the people of the state on the policies and programmes of his administration during its eight-year tenure.
He said the government’s gesture would help to consolidate, enrich and sustain the good working relationship between the journalists and the government and people of the state.
Earlier, the state’s outgoing Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, thanked the governor for his immense contribution to his progression in both his journalism and public service careers, including his rise to become the President of the NUJ and the President of the West African Journalists Association (WAJA).
Garba also appreciated the governor for appointing him as his Chief Press Secretary when he (Ganduje) was the Deputy Governor of Kano State, and also when he became governor appointed him as his Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, a position he held for eight years.
He said the position enabled him to initiate and actualise the legacy projects – the Plaza and Conference Hall rehabilitation at the Kano NUJ secretariat, thanking the governor for constructing and donating the 24-shop plaza to the NUJ and modernising the conference hall for the union.
The commissioner expressed delight that he was leaving behind the two legacy projects for which he will be remembered by working journalists and the people of the state for a long time to come.
In their separate remarks, the President of the NUJ, Mr Chris Isuguzo, who was represented by the NUJ Deputy National President, Malam Alasan Yaya, and the Chairman of Kano NUJ, Malam Abbas Ibrahim, also thanked the Ganduje for the gesture.
High point of the occasion was the presentation of awards to both the governor and Garba for their good services to humanity.
