For closer ties between Kano state and the United Arab Emirates, a modern and global city development project would soon be on board between the state and UAE, called Twin-City Concept, with the view to bringing closer economic cooperation and cultural fertilisation for mutual sustainable development.
This was revealed by the UAE Ambassador in Nigeria, Fahad Obaid Al-Taflaq, when the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje paid him a courtesy visit at the Embassy, in Abuja, with the aim of strengthening relationship between the state and the Arab Emirates.
Pleased with the high level presentation and articulation of Kano’s interest in the about-to-be-strengthened ties, as posed by Ganduje, Obaid reveals that, “Because of the importance we attach to Kano State, as well as your special visit to us today, let me disclose to you Your Excellency, that we are coming up with Twin-City Concept for Kano and Dubai, for our mutual development.”
Explaining that, “If the concept is viable and it pleases you, we will be glad to start working on it very soon. We share many things in common, especially Kano being the commercial nerve centre of the North and some parts of the African states.”
Kano State, according to the ambassador, is a “Historical Icon” of which his country wants to see that other areas of mutual benefits are explored, for the sustainability of the strong economic ties, both parties want to create for posterity.
Responding to Ganduje’s request for reconsidering the shuttling of Emirates Airlines to Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), as Kano has for many years being a global destination for many international passengers, Ambassador Obaid assured that “This request is very vital and will be handed down to appropriate quarters.”
Encouraging further that, “This request I am sure will be under serious consideration by the Airline in Allah’s name. Though Airline’s routes distribution is widely across the global community, then Kano is an important route that something should be done about it.”
He briefed the governor how well informed he (Ambassador) is about the position of Kano in global economy, since during Trans-Saharan trade.
“Where Kano played an important hub and a centre for the world trade. Merchants were coming all the way from Arab places down to Kano, through the Trans-Saharan trade. We are very familiar with the economic position of the state, since then,” he said.
Obaid argued that he was so concerned with Kano, not only on the economic front, but also because of cultural reasons, clarifying that, “…through trade, Islam came down to Kano, which makes it quite possible for us to have similarity in some of our cultural displays.”
About Etihad Airlines, he disclosed that the management of the Airline is now trying to first and foremost clearly understand the operations and operational routes, at the global engagements.
While discussing possibility of making other Airlines from UAE to Kano, the Ambassador, hinted that, he would have loved El-Arabia Airlines to be coming to Kano, but the only difficulty they would face in such proposal “…is the fact that El-Arabia Airlines cannot fly more than 5 hours per trip. So, if you look at it from Kano to Dubai or Abu Dhabi the fly time is more than 5 hours.”
After listening to the governor attentively, when he was recounting feats achieved in the education sector, with explanatory discussion on the recently pronounced free and compulsory education policy by the state, the ambassador assured his visitor that he would always be ready to help Kano achieve greater heights in education.
“Your Excellency, you are my big brother. Whenever you want me in Kano I will be glad to come. I therefore, assure you that I will come to Kano this early September for the Summit on free and compulsory education. I will be looking forward for more closer ties with Kano, particularly in the areas of education, cultural promotion and economic advancement,” he concludes.
In his request for reconsidering the Ambassador to help make effect the coming back of Emirates Airlines to Kano route, Governor Ganduje, reminded the Ambassador about the big market in the state for the Airline and other Airlines coming from many destinations of the world.
“Kano is a gateway for connecting to other destinations of the world. Emirates Airlines was sometime in the past one of the friendly Airlines of the state. We want to renew that relationship,” Ganduje pleaded.
The governor was accompanied to the Embassy by Alasan Ado Doguwa, house leader, House of Representatives; Abubakar Kabir Bichi, chairman, House Committee on Works, and Shamsuddeen Abdurrahman Dambazau, vice chairman, House Committee on African, Caribbean, Pacific, European Union Inter-Parliamentary (ACP-EU Committee).
He insisted that Kano has for long been a destination for global passengers.
On the Twin-City initiative, Ganduje said that the idea was superb and would get all the needed attention from his state, disclosing that, “As a member of world sister cities project, which puts together people from around the world on cities development, I gladly accept this idea of Twin-City.”
He however, clarified that cities around the globe have similar problems on issues like water supply, electricity supply, crime, problem of transportation, among others.
“For us to have effective and efficient implementation of our free and compulsory education policy, we are organising a summit to discuss ways and come up with strategies directed towards that,” Ganduje said.
“I am also briefing you that the Almajiri system of education will be integrated into the secular curriculum with special attention to English Language and Mathematics. While doing that, the faith and glory aspects of the Almajiri system will be intact and strengthened,” he said.
Adeola Ajakaiye, Kano
