Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State has pledged to strengthen bilateral relationship with the kingdom Saudi Arabia for the benefit of both governments.
This is contained in a statement by his Press Secretary, Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Wednesday in Kano.
Yusuf dropped the hint when he received the Saudi Arabian Consul in Kano, Khalid Ahmad Al-adamawi, in company of the country’s Co-ordinator of Muslim World League, Dr Salisu Ismaila, at the Government House.
The governor appreciated the visit and solicited for the increase of scholarship by Saudi Arabian Government to Kano indigenes, to either study or further their education in Saudi Arabian universities.
Yusuf further prayed for the actualisation of a dream of establishing a medical university and a teaching hospital, as an initiative to cater for the medical needs of many people in Kano, neighbouring states and beyond.
He also sought for support in the area of reducing the number of out-of school children and maternal mortality through the construction and renovation of classrooms.
The governor also asked for cooperation in the provision of medical equipment to public schools and hospitals.
The consul, Al-adamawi, said that they visited the government house to brief the governor on the on-going open heart surgery at Aminu Kano Teaching hospital (AKTH), sponsored by the World Muslim League with the support from King Salman Humanitarian Foundation.
He said the foundation would soon establsh an open heart surgery centre in Kano.
He added that 550 cartons of palm dates had been distributed to people in the state and pledged to provide more assistance in the areas of health and water resources.
The league coordinator in Nigeria, Ismail, lamented the shortage of cardiac surgeons as there were only 4 qualified Cardiac surgeons in Northern Nigeria to manage many patients with heart problems, an issue that needed to be addressed in earnest.