President Bola Tinubu has said that security challenges facing the north and Nigeria in general will soon be over, as the federal government has bold measure to put and end to the reign of terror.

Tinubu spoke in Kaduna on Saturday, at the Third late General Hassan Usman Katsina memorial Conference.

Represented by the Special Assistant on Political Matters to the President, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, he said that “General Hassan Usman Katsina embodied the finest virtues of public service—humility, courage, discipline and an unwavering love for Nigeria”, pointing out that “he was a worthy son of the North and of our great nation”.

According to President Tinubu, “his uncommon commitment to the unity of this country laid part of the foundation for the democracy and freedoms we enjoy today”.

Tinubu explained that “while we continue to work day and night to secure our nation, by the grace of Allah, the challenges of insecurity confronting us, particularly in Northern Nigeria, will soon be behind us.”

He remarked that “as your President and Commander-in-Chief, I reaffirm this administration’s commitment to safeguarding the legacies of our past heroes. Their labour must never be in vain.”

Specifically, he particularly praised the late Hassan Katina, saying, “for the record, General Hassan Usman Katsina served our nation with distinction”, saying, “as Military Governor of the defunct Northern Region and later as Chief of Army Staff during the Civil War, he demonstrated uncommon courage, patriotism and vision; beyond rank and office, he lived for the common good.”

“He believed in education, honour and the dignity of every Nigerian. These are values that must continue to guide us. It is also pertinent to note that we are pursuing bold reforms in key sectors of our national life”, he added.

Besides, President Tinubu also spoke on the initiatives of the Federal Government to transform the economy of the nation, stressing, “our achievements in the education sector are acknowledged by Nigerians across the country”.

“We are expanding access to higher education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to ensure that no Nigerian student is denied the opportunity to pursue education due to financial constraints. Over one million students have so far benefited from this intervention” he added.

He remarked further, “we have restored stability to our tertiary institutions by removing them from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to guarantee institutional autonomy and reversing deductions from their internally generated revenues. Today, by the grace of Allah, our universities have enjoyed sustained academic peace, with no prolonged ASUU strike under this administration.

Through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), we have commissioned numerous facilities nationwide, including science complexes, classrooms, hostels and research centres in Nasarawa, Kaduna, Jigawa and Bauchi States. Because when you build a classroom, you build a generation”.

He continued, “we have approved a new national curriculum, launched major teacher training programmes and made one of the largest investments in technical and vocational education and training in decades. We are equipping our youth with the skills required for the 21st-century economy and beyond.

Furthermore, we have established new federal institutions, including universities in Kaduna, Ekiti, Ogun, Rivers and Katsina States, as well as several polytechnics across the country.”

On road Infrastructure, he noted that “this administration is reconstructing the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway, which remains the commercial backbone of Northern Nigeria”.

“We are also constructing the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, stretching over 1,200 kilometres from Ilela on the Niger Republic border through Sokoto to Badagry on the Atlantic coast, passing through several states, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara and Lagos. About 800 kilometres of this strategic corridor lies within Northern Nigeria. Alongside this, the Sokoto-Zamfara-Kaduna Road is also under construction”, he stressed.

“Other major road projects include the 434-kilometre Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road and several other strategic highways aimed at improving connectivity and driving economic growth”, the President added.

On power and energy, Tinubu remarked: “we are building the Kaduna Power Station and executing the 40-megawatt Kumbotso High Voltage Power Project, which has attained significant completion milestones.”

“We are also installing solar infrastructure across communities, including over 1,500 solar-powered streetlights and 50 mini-grids in rural areas. We are strengthening power transmission across Northern Nigeria because our goal is clear—to make the North the energy hub of Nigeria. The Federal Government is revitalising the 215-megawatt Kaduna Power Plant to serve as a primary energy source for one of Northern Nigeria’s major industrial hubs in Kakuri. This intervention will help revive Kaduna’s once-thriving textile industry”, he further stressed.

Additionally, he said, “the Federal Government has approved the upgrade of the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna, into a full-fledged university now named after General Hassan Usman Katsina. The institution is over 90 per cent completed, with academic activities already underway.”

“We are also developing the 1,350-megawatt Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant, a combined-cycle gas project designed to significantly improve electricity supply across Northern communities and the Federal Capital Territory. Renewable and solar energy projects are equally ongoing under the supervision of the Energy Commission of Nigeria. These projects are targeting off-grid communities in Kaduna and neighbouring states”, he added.

Meanwhile, on rail transportation, the President also noted “to ease transportation and expand economic opportunities for Nigerians, work is progressing steadily on the Kaduna-Kano Rail Line and the Kano-Maradi Rail Project.”

“Upon completion, these projects will unlock enormous economic opportunities for our growing population.

We have also committed funding for the Kaduna Light Rail Project. Similarly, the rehabilitation of the Abuja Metro Rail is ongoing. Funding has equally been committed for the Kano Light Rail Project, while approval has been granted for the upgrade of the Abuja-Kaduna train service to facilitate the seamless movement of people and goods”, he added. (The Guardian)

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