Elder statesman, Inuwa Waya, has congratulated the Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, over the state’s emergence as the highest-ranked sub-national government in education among the 15 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In a statement on Monday, Waya described the recognition, based on the University of Paris’ Sub-National Education Spending Index, as a landmark achievement that reflects the governor’s commitment to repositioning the education sector through strategic investments and policy reforms.
He said Kano’s emergence ahead of 209 first-level sub-national governments across the ECOWAS region was a clear indication that purposeful leadership, prudent resource management and sustained investment in education could deliver measurable outcomes with international recognition.
According to him, the feat was the direct result of the Yusuf administration’s declaration of a state of emergency in education and its unprecedented budgetary commitment to the sector, with 29.5 per cent of the state’s 2024 budget and 30 per cent of the 2025 budget allocated to education.
Waya noted that the governor had, since assuming office, embarked on an ambitious programme of constructing new schools, rehabilitating dilapidated classrooms, recruiting and training teachers, as well as providing critical teaching and learning materials across the state.
He said the interventions had significantly strengthened the education system and created a solid foundation for the development of future generations.
Describing the recognition as a victory not only for the Kano State Government but also for the people of the state and Nigeria,
Waya said the award underscored the importance of sustained investment in education as a catalyst for social and economic transformation.
He joined other Nigerians, including the British High Commission in Nigeria, in congratulating Governor Yusuf on what he described as a well-deserved international honour, expressing optimism that the achievement would further inspire reforms aimed at improving educational outcomes across the country.