Kano approves N96 million for 47 football clubs, N55 million for digital STB

Kano State Executive Council has approved the release of N96 million as financial support for 47 football clubs representing Kano in the National League nationwide to promote their activities and give additional value of engagement to their efforts.

The state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, disclosed this while briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting held at Africa House, Government House, Kano.

He said the approved fund would enable successful prosecution of the 2021/2022 National League season scheduled to commence by middle of November, this year with 47 clubs participating.

Mr Garba also disclosed that another approval of N55 million has been given for the manufacture and supply of subsidized digital Set-Top Box (STB) as part of requirements for successful digital switch over from analogue to digital television in the state.

This, he said, was in pursuance of the launch of Digital Switch Over (DSO) in Kano scheduled to hold on October 30, after which analogue television will be switched off, necessitating every household in the state to have digital STB to continue to receive TV signal at home.

The commissioner pointed out that the council has directed the ministry for local government and chieftaincy affairs to handle the order for the manufacture and supply of the STB for all Primary Health Care (PHC), Community Viewing Centres (CVCs), Local Education Authorities (LEAs), primary and basic schools, Local Government Councils in the 44 local government areas in the state.

Mr Garba revealed that 7, 000 units of the STB would also be supplied to the 114 Ministries Departments and Agencies, 1,460 to Senior Secondary Schools in the state at cost of N12, 500 per unit.

The commissioner stated further that others to benefit from the supply include 15 tertiary institutions, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants as well as provision of logistic support for 1, 000 trainees as per the breakdown of the total amount approved.

He recalled that in 2008, Nigeria signed up to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Protocol to transit from analogue to digital television in line with the current global trend.

Mr Garba said the pilot digitisation started in April, 2016 in Jos and later Abuja, Kaduna, Enugu, Ilorin and Osogbo, while the second phase commenced in 2021 with Lagos and the remaining 30 states.