The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, PhD, has inaugurated the Kano Intellectuals Forum with a charge to academics and intellectuals to deploy their knowledge, research and expertise towards addressing the socioeconomic challenges confronting the people of the state.
Waiya gave the charge during the inauguration of the Forum at the Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, stressing that the responsibility of academic institutions goes beyond producing graduates and issuing academic certificates.
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According to him, higher institutions have a critical role to play in generating knowledge, conducting research and providing practical solutions to challenges confronting society.
The Commissioner noted that academic communities possess the technical knowledge, research capacity and professional expertise required to conduct evidence-based studies and develop innovative solutions to problems affecting their host communities.
He urged members of the Kano Intellectuals Forum to see their membership as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state by providing research-based advice, policy recommendations and technical support to government.
Waiya said the Forum would serve as an important platform for strengthening collaboration between the academic community and government, particularly in education, economic development, social welfare, innovation and human capital development.
He said the initiative would support and complement government efforts to improve the wellbeing and living standards of residents of Kano State.
The Commissioner added that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had demonstrated commitment to placing the interests and welfare of the people at the centre of its development agenda through the Kano First Agenda.
He therefore called on members of the Forum to develop practical and implementable recommendations that would assist government in formulating policies and programmes capable of promoting sustainable socioeconomic and political development.
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Earlier, the Provost of Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Dr. Kabiru Gwarzo, said the Forum was established to ensure broad and inclusive representation of the academic community across tertiary institutions in the state.
Gwarzo explained that each tertiary institution would have four representatives drawn from different segments, including academic and non-academic staff, students and women.
He said the inclusive composition was designed to provide the Forum with diverse perspectives, experiences and areas of expertise needed to address issues affecting the development of Kano State.
In his remarks, the Acting Provost of Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, Dr. Ali Tamasi, said Kano’s tertiary institutions were endowed with highly knowledgeable and experienced professionals who had provided consultancy services to organisations and institutions within and outside the country.
He stressed the need to create opportunities for such experts to deploy their knowledge and experience towards solving local challenges and contributing to the development of the state.
Dr. Tamasi said the Forum would provide a structured platform for engaging intellectuals in supporting government policies and programmes, particularly under the Kano First Agenda.
He explained that the Forum would advise and support government in areas including education, socioeconomic development, research, policy formulation and other sectors capable of improving the living standards of the people.
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The Acting Provost expressed optimism that the initiative would strengthen the relationship between government and tertiary institutions while promoting greater utilisation of academic research and professional expertise in addressing developmental challenges.
He added that one of the key areas of focus would be the dissemination of information on the achievements of the Kano State Government in tertiary institutions, to enable students and academic communities appreciate the level of investment and interventions in the education sector.