NEWSROYALE ‘How I helped improve health, education in my domain’
Alhaji Usman Bello Kankara is the Kanwan Katsina III and District Head of Ketare in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. The 1981 graduate of Political Science of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was born into the royal family of the late Kanwan
How has it been from the public sector to become a traditional ruler?
It has been very good as a District Head coming from the public sector after 35 years of service. The cognate experience I garnered during the service years has really prepared me very well to discharge my duties as District Head. I headed various customs commands and headquarters units, stations and formations. These leadership roles are similar to those of a district head, so the experience I came in with have really prepared me very well in my present position and capacity.
What are the major challenges you encountered in the beginning and how were you able to overcome them?
The major challenge was that of security. My communities of Pauwa and Tsamiyar Jino share border with some communities in Zamfara State where there is a vast forest area. Therefore, the challenge of cattle rustlers, kidnappings, armed robbery and other related crimes and criminalities were some of the serious challenges I faced.
However, with the Katsina State Government amnesty, these criminals returned a huge number of arms and ammunitions. In addition, the state government under Governor Aminu Masariled administration formed a highlevel security committee in all the local governments to ensure the sustenance of security. Similarly, in my district, we also set up a security committee of a combination of both Fulani herders and farmers to ensure the sustenance of peace and security among the various committees in the district. So with the establishment of these committees we were able to overcome this huge security challenge. Other challenges have to do with lack inadequate drinking water which the state government is doing its best to address and ecological problems of erosion.
Recently, there have been calls for constitutional roles for traditional institutions. What is your take on this?
On this, I align with those agitating for constitutional roles for traditional rulers as it will give them legal backing to those roles. Traditional rulers in the nation perform very important roles and as such their role should be clearly defined in order to give them impetus to carry on with these important roles.
What methods have you employed to encourage your subjects in moving the district forward?
I’m able to do so through established structure of village and wards heads in existence. If there is any instruction or request from either the state government or the emirate council such are circulated in all the districts heads. On receipt of those instructions, I call all the village heads in my district and pass these instructions that will be passed to ward heads and down the ladder. Furthermore, I engage in regular visits known as ‘Rangadi’ to my entire village heads where I interact with the communities directly. Just recently, I concluded such visits were problems and challenges facing such communities were brought to my attention. In turn I take such problems to the appropriate authorities for prompt action.
What are some of the major impacts you brought to the district?
Since my assumption to the throne in May 2017, I was able to ensure that all eligible people in my community are issued with the National Identity Card. In this regard, I collaborated with Kankara local government officials of the National Identity Management Commission to move all their computers to all the villages to register and issue the cards to all I made some donations of food items like soya beans, beans, groundnut, maize and sorghum to make a locally made ‘Garin Lafiya’ used in feeding malnourished children eligible people. I realise that people find it difficult to travel to Kankara to get enlisted. I mobilised them on the need to obtain it. On voters’ card, I liaised with INEC officials at our council to ensure that all eligible people get the voters card and those who wanted to change their voting centres to their wards. I am happy that INEC officials are working round the clock to register all eligible voters. There is also a computer appreciation programme were I engaged the services of a firm to establish three computer training centres in Ketare, Gundawa and Gurbi to train youths and students in view of its importance in life. So far, a large number of my people have enlisted into the programme.
I understand there are also interventions in the health sector as infant mortality rate is high in the north.
I also partnered with the council’s health department to move the sector forward especially on issues to do with malnutrition, malnourished children and pregnant women. I made some donations of food items like soya beans, beans, groundnut, maize and sorghum to make a locally made ‘Garin Lafiya’ used in feeding malnourished children. It is given to mothers free to feed those children. We were able to come up with three centres for easy distribution of food. In the same vain, I partnered in sensitization on the need for proper vaccination especially on polio to boost protection of children.
What of education?
I was able to personally build some primary schools in the district and also ensure that some dilapidated schools are repaired with the support from SUBEB were I paid a courtesy call on its chairman who assured me of their intervention and already work is on-going to re-fix some schools.
The Kankara-Gurbi road has been a major concern for years. What is the state of that project?
Well, on roads construction both the federal and state governments are doing their best. The Kankara- Gurbi road which was abandoned since 2013 is now receiving attention as the contractor will soon return to site. This was achieved after our meetings with the Federal Controller of Works in the state. Similarly, the Katsina State Government has awarded Dayi-Tuge-Gangule-GundawaWawar Kaza road and work is in progress. My communities are extremely very happy with it because it will open up and ease transportation of farm produce to markets and people going to Kano from Danmusa, Yantumaki and Dutsinma as it is shorter for them.
What are the limitations of district heads?
The limitations of district heads have to do with poor remunerations and that of village heads. The state government should improve their salaries and allowances in order to motivate them. If the district and village heads have improved salaries, such will encourage them to do more because of the numerous activities they perform in their localities.