The Kebbi State Executive Council has given the green light for the rehabilitation and upgrade of seven general hospitals across the state at a total cost of N4.05 billion.
Addressing journalists shortly after the council meeting in Birnin Kebbi, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Junaidu Marshall, said the move reflects the government’s determination to strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure that hospitals are well equipped to meet the needs of the people.
According to him, the hospitals earmarked for rehabilitation are located in Kambaza, Suru, Kamba, Dirin Daji, Kangiwa, Koko, and Yauri. He noted that the General Hospital in Argungu had already been fully rehabilitated and fitted with modern facilities, while hospitals in Zaga, Zuru, Bunza, Gulma, Bena, Jega, Shanga, and the Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi were either completed or currently undergoing renovation.
Marshall explained that under the administration of Governor Nasir Idris, a total of sixteen general hospitals had already been rehabilitated, and with this latest approval, seven more would soon follow. He added that the governor remains committed to ensuring that before the end of his tenure, all thirty general hospitals in the state are renovated and adequately equipped.
The Attorney General further revealed that the council also approved the release of N570 million to the Kebbi Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KECHEMA) for the registration of 45,000 vulnerable individuals under the State Social Register. He said the initiative would enable at least two hundred people in each of the state’s 225 wards to gain access to healthcare services, helping to advance KECHEMA’s mission of providing affordable care for the less privileged.
Marshall also announced that the state had provided counterpart funding under the World Bank IMPACT project for the renovation of seventy three primary healthcare centres. To expand the effort, the council has approved the rehabilitation of an additional forty two centres across various local government areas, in line with national health standards.
In another major decision, the council approved N407.5 million as a take off grant for the Kebbi State Drugs, Medical and Consumables Agency. The fund, he said, would support the availability of affordable and subsidised drugs across the state. Marshall called on residents to support government programmes, assuring them that every initiative is aimed at improving their quality of life.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abba Sani Kalgo, also briefed reporters after the meeting. He revealed that the council had approved the establishment of the Kebbi State Bureau of Statistics, which will provide credible and verifiable data for development planning. Governor Idris has approved N900 million as the bureau’s take off grant, with Professor Umar Usman appointed as the substantive Statistician General of the state.
Dr Sani Kalgo explained that the new bureau would play a key role in collecting reliable data to guide planning and monitor development projects across Kebbi.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Shehu Muazu, disclosed that the council approved the procurement of two thousand power tillers at a cost of N3 billion under the Kaura Development Agenda, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity across the state.
In the education sector, the Chief of Staff at Government House, Alhaji Attahiru Maccido, confirmed that the council had approved N1.4 billion for the purchase of new school furniture to enhance learning conditions in classrooms statewide.
With these approvals, the Kebbi State Government continues to push forward its agenda for improved healthcare, stronger agricultural productivity, and better educational infrastructure.
