President Bola Tinubu speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Kaduna
By AMOS MATHEW, Kaduna –
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has
commissioned a host of projects, including 300-bed hospital, Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development and 100 CNG buses, Kafanchan township road among others.
Tinubu made the commissioning on a one-day official visit to Kaduna State, saying the state is rising star in Nigeria’s development landscape, praising Governor Uba Sani for transforming a state once gripped by fear into a beacon of peace, growth, and unity.
This was as he disclosed that, N100 billion has been voted for Kaduna’s light rail in the 2025 federal budget.
Speaking during a grand civic reception in his honour at Murtala Square, Kaduna, President Tinubu described Governor Sani as “an agent of change, unity and progress” whose leadership is rekindling hope across the state and beyond. “You have turned a toxic environment into one of life and opportunity. I am proud of you,” he said.
The President, visibly moved by the massive turnout and warm reception, announced a national honour Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on retired Colonel Dangiwa Umar, who was omitted from his June 12 Democracy Day speech.
Highlighting Kaduna’s growing reputation for reform and innovation, Tinubu said: “From vocational institutes to transport infrastructure, what I have seen here today is a model for national progress. Kaduna is rising again, and we will walk with you on this journey.”
The President specifically mentioned the Kaduna Light Rail project, reaffirming federal government’s commitment to its execution, saying that, N100 billion has already been earmarked for it in the 2025 budget, while also endorsing the newly commissioned Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development as a national template.
Governor Uba Sani, who was visibly elated, thanked the President for his unwavering support, declaring that “Kaduna is no longer defined by fear.”
According to him, “roads are now open, schools are alive again, and farmlands are green.” He said over 535 schools once shut down by insurgents had reopened, with over 500,000 hectares of abandoned farmland now back in use.
Sani described Tinubu as a leader whose “vision is reshaping Nigeria,” citing landmark federal support for urban transit, education, healthcare, and agro-industrialisation. “Kaduna is the first state to implement the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone project, thanks to you, Mr. President,” he said.
Governor Sani revealed that the 100 newly acquired CNG buses would be provided free of charge to students, civil servants and pensioners for the first six months, easing transport burdens and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to reduce poverty, boost education, and improve health outcomes.
Kaduna, he said, has constructed 79 new roads covering 780km, built 62 secondary schools, and upgraded 1,049 classrooms across the state, while also cutting tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions by 50 percent.
Governor Sani closed his remarks with a passionate plea to Northerners: “This President stood with us in our darkest hour. Let us rally behind him in this hour of light.”
At the heart of the visit was the commissioning of multiple high-impact projects, including a 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Kaduna, the largest of its kind in the region; 100 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered buses for mass transit; and the remodeled Panteka Market, now repositioned as Africa’s largest informal skills hub with 38,000 artisans receiving global certifications.
Former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who initiated the specialist hospital in 2009 as then Governor of Kaduna, described its completion as “a 16-year-old dream fulfilled.”
He recalled how the state had once been burdened with fewer than 3,000 hospital beds for over six million people. “We lost an 800-bed facility when ABU Teaching Hospital moved to Zaria. Today, we reclaim that loss,” he said.
House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, also paid glowing tributes to President Tinubu, describing his administration as one that is “delivering federal presence where it is long overdue.”
He listed key projects like the Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline (now 72% complete), the Ibadan-Kaduna-Kano railway, the FMC in Kafanchan, and the University of Applied Sciences in Kachia as game-changing interventions.
According to Tajudeen, “These aren’t just projects, they are symbols of inclusion, recognition, and renewed hope.” He also hailed Governor Uba Sani’s collaboration with the federal government, describing it as a model for synergy and effective governance.
Dignitaries at the event included Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kwara’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Imo’s Hope Uzodinma, Edo’s Monday Okpebholo, Ekiti’s Abiodun Oyebanji, Jigawa’s Umar Namadi, Ogun’s Dapo Abiodun, Kebbi’s Nasir Idris, and Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.
Others included the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, Ministers Balarabe Lawal and Dele Alake, and thousands of enthusiastic residents who filled Murtala Square to capacity, celebrating what many described as a new era of inclusion and progress for Kaduna.
