Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai on Tuesday announced that his administration would constitute security committees at community levels as part of efforts to enhance peace in the state.

He said at a meeting with the state Council of Chiefs, led by the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, that the committees would drive the government’s peace plan in the state.

The governor expressed concern over the level of insecurity in parts of Birnin Gwari, Sanga and Kaura Local Governments, saying that the security committees would consist of traditional and religious leaders, security agencies and other responsible citizens.

He commended traditional rulers for their role in the maintenance of peace and harmony in the state and urged them not to relent.

The governor also pledged to work closely with them to revive the old tradition of registering new people in any community.

“We will come up with a plan that will give traditional leaders a say in terms of security,” he said.

Earlier in his remark, Idris pledged the total support of the traditional council to the new administration.

He said they would continue to pray for peace and prosperity in the state; and assist the government to leave a lasting legacy at the end of its tenure.

In another development, Governor El-Rufai has approved the appointments of Mrs Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa and Dr. Clement Woje to help drive the government’s rural and community development agenda. They will both work in the office of the Deputy Governor as Special Adviser and Director-General respectively.

The new government recently announced that the former ministry of rural development would henceforth be a department in the deputy governor’s office.

A statement by Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity Samuel Aruwan, said Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa was the Education Specialist and Deputy Programme Director for the Earth Institute, Columbia University on the Nigeria MDG Scale up Programme based in Abuja.

She is a development practitioner specialising in education, and has worked in the public and private sectors as well as civil society. For four years, she was the Technical Advisor to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs in Nigeria.

She has also worked as the International Education Programme and Shared Learning Coordinator for Actionaid International and was a consultant for the Federal Ministry of Education on the Education for All Initiative. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, she is a trustee of the Centre for Policy Research and Development Solutions and serves as an advisor to numerous NGOs.

Dr Clement Woje, a public health specialist, has worked in public institutions and in the organised private sector. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1987 and attained higher qualifications at the University of Lagos, the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He worked at various times with Ahmadu Bello University, National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company, Millennium Villages Project and the Kaduna State University.

Dr. Woje led the health sector at Pampaida Millennium Villages Project as health coordinator and later led a multi-sectoral team that implemented an integrated rural development project in Pampaida, Ikara LGA, Kaduna State.

This brings to three the appointments that have been announced this week, following the elevation of the Permanent Secretary, Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Alisabatu Dada-Onazi to the position of Head of Service.

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.

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