HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND SANITATION This is one of the sectors that received priority attention of the present administration. Kano State occupies a prominent position in Nigeria because of the innovativeness of its leaders. A typical example in this sector during the administration of Colonel Sani Bello was the initiation of the modalities for the establishment of the state hospitals management board. The administration of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has kept that tradition of positive innovation by maintaining existing institutions and also creating new ones such as the Refuse Management and Sanitation Board, which is under the Ministry of Environment. HEALTH Kano State government, under the leadership of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, executed projects worth over two hundred and fifty million naira in hospitals all over the state between June and December 2003. This is in line with the administration’s human development objective, which is geared toward attaining a healthy society. High priority was given to Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, which is the largest in the state and also one of the largest in the West African sub region. It attracts patients from all over northern Nigeria and neighbouring countries. Apart from the provision of equipments and plants, a new ward is also under construction. This is the first time in almost two decades that such a facelift is carried out. Other major hospitals in the state have all received necessary attention in line with the objective of making health care available to the largest number of citizens. Even specialized hospitals such as the psychiatrist hospital and pediatric hospitals were given attention. The table below shows the achievements of the administration in the Ministry of Health. S/N ACHIEVEMENT LOCATION AMOUNT (N) 1   Re-cabling works at Murtala Muhammad S/Hospital Municipal 4,650,000.00 2. Supply and installation of 2no. 500KVA generators with automatic Synchronized Panel to Murtala Muhammad S/Hospital Municipal 46,336,400.00 3. Supply and installation of 5no. new generator sets to 5 hospitals in the state Sir. M. Sunusi, Wudil, H. Bayero, Tiga & IDH Hospitals 15,115,730.00 4. Renovation work at School of Clinical Assistants, Danbatta Danbatta 9,972632.00 5. Construction of 1no. motorized b/hole with 1no. surface & overhead tanks with appropriate water reticulation at MM Specialist Hospital. Municipal 2,584,385.00 6. Construction of 80 Beds 2 –story building at Maternity Unit MMSH Municipal 21,012,717.06 7. Supply of specialized hospital equipment & consumables and repairs of mortuary facilities at MMSH Municipal 64,212,972.00 8. Supply & installation of digital telecom at MMSH Municipal 6,146,580.00 9. Renovation works at Psychiatric Hospital Dawanau D/Tofa 15,534,147.92 10. Repairs/replacement of medical equipment at 9 hospitals in the state Bichi, DBT, DKD, Gezawa, Gaya, Minjibir, Sumaila, Wudil & W.S. Gidado. 24,047,400.00 11. Completion of the construction of a mosque & provision of classroom furniture to School of Nursing Tarauni 8,489,710.00 12. Rehabilitation works at burnt down classroom blocks of School of Nursing Tarauni 9,873,165.00 13. Provision of medical laboratory equipment and relocation of the main gate of Sch. of Health Tech. Nassarawa 6,591,446.00 14. Renovation works at Sharada BHC and supply of 2no. gen sets to Sharada & Marmara PHCs. Municipal 4,376,500.00 15. Rehabilitation/construction works at Marmara PHC. Municipal 3,636,690.00 ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION The administration of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau attaches high priority to clean environment. Hence during his inaugural speech, he promised that the administration would establish a refuse management board. This promise was fulfilled. The state government purchased 20 refuse collection trains at the cost of N141million. Similarly, over N9million was used for the repair and general over hauling of 16 number sanitation vehicles. Two thousand casual workers have also been employed to engage in an unprecedented major sanitation project to keep the environment clean. Uniforms worth over N5million have been provided for these casual workers. Similarly, 20 motorcycles shall be purchased for supervisors. The board carried out, extensive and intensive, refuse collection in the metropolitan area. As part of its proactive measures, Kano State government under the leadership of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau ordered the clearing of drainages in order the arrest the possibility of flood during the rainy season. At the sustainable Kano Project, a joint program of the state government and the UNDP, there was training with the aim of putting the Geographical Information System (GIS) equipment in use. The report of city consultation in which all the stakeholders operating in the Kano Metropolitan Areas participated, it was jointly funded at the cost of over N3million. There has been improvement in the general sanitation of Kano since the time the Refuse Disposal Management Board started its activities in March 2004. The two thousand workers have started working well and many of the streets of the state capital are always clean.