Free education will save Kaduna parents N3.7bn annually – El-Rufai

The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday said that the government would save parents in the state N3.7 billion in what would have been money for basic education.

Mr. El-Rufai, who introduced free basic education in the state, said this during a weekly state executive council meeting on Monday in Kaduna.

He also spoke about repairing school infrastructure, providing furniture and school uniforms, and school meals.

Last week, the governor stopped the sale of forms and scratch cards for admission into state-owned colleges and higher institutions.

At the meeting, the governor also approved a draft bill for the establishment of the Kaduna State Geographic Information Service.

He said when passed into law, the bill will create an electronic land registry for the state, and facilitate the electronic registration of land documents.

“This is intended to make life easier for citizens in securing titles for their land holdings, and to use such titles as valid collateral. The simpler processes and modern products KADGIS will provide will also encourage investors and create clarity about who owns what, speed up land transactions and contribute to the government’s quest to make Kaduna State a more favorable place to do business,” Mr. El-Rufai said.

Mr. El-Rufai, at the weekend, visited some schools and trespassed government lands.

During the tour, he vowed to continue with the intended demolition exercise embarked by his government.

He also said he intended to make the master plan of Kaduna, a legal document and has directed that the Kaduna Masterplan 2010 be updated to take account of new developments, and then be forwarded to the House of Assembly for appropriate legislation.