President Bola Tinubu has lauded Kaduna State’s “rapid development” under Governor Uba Sani as he commissioned various projects during a visit to the state on Thursday.
The president also noted the allocation of N100 billion to the proposed Kaduna Light Rail in the 2025 federal budget.
During the one-day working visit, the president inaugurated a 300-bed specialist hospital, 100 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for public transportation, a new vocational skills and training institute, and the remodelled Panteka Market — now dubbed Africa’s largest informal skills hub with over 38,000 artisans.
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At a civic reception at the Murtala Square, Mr Tinubu declared Kaduna “a rising star in Nigeria’s development journey,” praising Governor Sani for shifting the state’s narrative from insecurity to inclusion.
“From insecurity to inclusion, Kaduna is clearly on the rise. I am pleased to be back in Kaduna State, a place that holds deep connections in my political and democratic journey.
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“Kaduna is rising again. We are going to do it together. Peace is the hallmark of development, and I am proud of the peace now reigning in areas like Birnin Gwari. Our administration will continue to back every effort that sustains growth and security.”
Mr Sani, in his address, described Tinubu as “a visionary leader who has redefined national priorities”.
He highlighted sweeping reforms in the state in education and rural development, saying over 535 schools shut due to insecurity have now reopened, and more than 500,000 hectares of farmland have been revived.
To ease economic burdens, he also announced six months of free rides on the new CNG buses for students, civil servants, and pensioners.
“Our identity is no longer fear, we are defined by productivity, education, and progress,” the governor said.
Mr Sani further said 79 roads spanning 780 kilometres had been constructed, 62 new secondary schools built, and over 1,000 classrooms renovated by his administration.
READ ALSO: Tinubu to inaugurate key projects during rescheduled Kaduna visit
Additionally, the state has slashed tuition fees across its tertiary institutions by 50 per cent.
Echoing the tone of transformation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, listed key federal projects in Kaduna, including the Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline (72 per cent complete), Ibadan-Kaduna-Kano railway, the Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan, and the University of Applied Sciences in Kachia.
“These are not just projects, they are symbols of inclusion and renewed national hope,” he said.
Former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who initiated the specialist hospital project during his tenure as governor in 2009, described its completion as “a dream fulfilled,” noting that Kaduna previously had fewer than 3,000 hospital beds for over six million residents.
Among the dignitaries at the event were several state governors, the Deputy Senate President, ministers, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli, and a massive crowd of Kaduna residents who lined the streets in a show of support.
