Jigawa government approves N883 million for NECO, others

The Jigawa State Government has approved the release of the sum of Eight Hundred and Eighty-Two Million, Eight Hundred Thirty-Two Thousand and Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Naira Twenty-Five Kobo (N882,832,961.25k) only for the settlement of National Examinations Registration charges (NECO), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) of the Jigawa State’s candidates for the 2024 academic year.

The payment covers the payment for 39,709 candidates who wrote the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), National Examinations Council (NECO), the National Teachers Certificate (NTC), NABTEB, SAIS/STQ and NBAIS examinations.

Approval of the approximately N883m was one of the major decisions taken at the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday 8th August at the Government House, Dutse. A statement signed by the Commissioner of Information, Youth, Sport and Culture, Sagir Musa Ahmed disclosed that the meeting was chaired by the Governor of the State, Umar Namadi.

Other highlights from the meeting include approval of the sum of Nine Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty- One Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-Six Naira, Eighty-One Kobo (N921,931,126.81) as contract continuation payment for the on-going maintenance/rehabilitation of Auyo -Kafin Hausa Road to Messrs. ALREN Construction Company Limited. Similarly, additional award of Consultancy Services of Sixteen Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Four Naira, Seventy-Two Kobo (N16,133,794.72) only to Messrs. Innovative Engineering Consultant.

The continuation of support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state with the sum of Four Hundred Million Naira (N400,000.000.00) only was equally approved at the meeting. The approval completed the sum of One Billion Naira (N1,000,000,000.00) only earlier approved by the State Executive Council to the project account.

Also approved was the disbursement of the sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Nine Million, Two Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Naira (N179,247,000.00) only as direct facility financing (DFF) to the accredited Primary Health Care centres (PHCs) and additional 17 PHCs across the 281 political wards in the state for the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2024 by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). Similarly, the sum of Sixty-Nine Million, One Hundred and Seventy Naira (N69,170,000.00) only was okayed for the payment of monthly stipend for 79 midwives, community influencers, promoters and services (CHIPS agents).

The work plan for the implementation of Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project as presented by the Ministry of Health was also deliberated upon at the meeting. The IMPACT Project is supported by World Bank with a total amount of One Billion, Two Hundred and Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Four Thousand and One Hundred Seventy-Nine Naira (N1,218,364,179.00K) only in the work plan for the year 2024 for Jigawa State. The project is for revitalization of 161 Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) in the State.

The State programme for Free Maternal Neonatal and Child Health Care (FMNCH) is now to cover free treatment for people with hypertension, diabetes and sickle cell in all the state government owned hospitals across the 27 LGAs of the State.

The meeting also approved the establishment of a 10-member committee for the implementation of a new minimum wage in the State. The committee is chaired by the Head of Service (HOS) while the Principal Personnel Secretary to the governor is the Secretary. Other members of the committee are Commissioner of Justice, Commissioner of Finance, Commissioner for Budget, Commissioner for Local Government, Commissioner for Basic Education, Commissioner of Health, Commissioner of Information and the Special Adviser Salary and Pension.