The Kano State Government has trained 3,500 vigilance members on basic literacy and distributed uniforms worth over N200 million to various vigilance groups with a view to enhance their operations.

The Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, made this known on Monday during the post-International Literacy Day celebration in Kano.

Ganduje said that the training would reduce the level of illiteracy in the state and enhance their operations.

He said that his administration had given high premium to adult literacy in the state.

‎“Education is potentially the greatest instrument we have at our disposal to empower our people,” he said.

Ganduje added that the state government ‎would set up a security neighborhood agency to check security issues in the state.

‎The governor also distributed 13,200 uniforms worth N200 million to members of the vigilance groups in the 44 local government areas.

He also ‎promised to pay the remaining three months allowance for instructors at the literacy centres in the state.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, Prof. Abba Haladu, commended the governor for his support to the state agency.

Haladu ‎said that International Literacy Day is celebrated annually worldwide to bring together government’s, multi and bilateral organisations as well as NGOs to promote literacy within and beyond the 2030 education agenda.

“We have so far recorded a number of achievements including the development of vital documents such as the Policy Guidelines for Mass Literacy and Operational Plan for a National Mass Literacy Programme and Literacy Primers in the three major Nigerian languages and English,” he said.

He also urged the state and local governments to deploy the needed political will and, therefore, provide the necessary material support for the eradication of literacy in their ‎respective areas of jurisdiction.

Haladu then called on the state governor to approve the payment of monthly facilitators part-time allowances, to enhance their motivation and additional vehicles for monitoring and data collection.

He also appealed for the rehabilitation the women ‎education centres.

‎The Executive Secretary commended the Kano Mass Education Agency for organising important mobilisation activities and called on the government to provide more support for the agency. (NAN)

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