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INTERVIEW BETWEEN LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER AND ALHAJI SALISU MAMMAN OF CONTINENTAL COMPUTERS. Under Masari, Katsina Is Reaping Benefits Of Change - Mamman Salisu Mamman is a Katsina based businessman cum Philanthropist who owns Continental Computers, one of the most vibrant ICT companies in Katsina State. In this interview with ANDY ASEMOTA, he speaks about the Masari led administration and his motivation for Philanthropy. Statistics of education, health and in fact most aspects of human lives, tend to be skewed against the North when compared against other parts of the country. What is the way forward? If you look at the statistics, we have over 10 million out of the school children (nationwide). About eighty per cent of those children are in North West and this is the reason we are backward in so many other parameters - economy, health sector and so many others because education is the key factor. 21st century is knowledge based, the divide is between those who know and those who don't, success or failure in the 21st century is determined by knowledge. So, this is virtually the reason you will see us lagging behind in all indices. The way forward is for all of us, every person in the North, to put our act together, rally round government and see how we can change the tide by of course making sacrifices. If everybody in the North will sacrifice about N50 to N100 or see how he can sponsor one child, who doesn't have to be your relation, just take him to a primary and make sure he completes his primary education, the situation will change in the next 10 to 20 years. It will address this challenge. It is not all about government's action, it is a fact that government resources have been nose-diving in past 30 to 40 years. So, we have to appreciate this reality. Everyone on us in the North has to partner (the government) to see how we can address this challenge. Until that is done, certainly nothing will happen. Do you think successive governments have actually made considerable efforts to address the issue? Fortunately for us in Katsina state, we have had successive governments that invested in all spheres of human endeavour's, honestly speaking. We would not want to say that one government or the other has not done enough. Government is a continuum; everyone will come and play its role and of course, it picks up from where the other stopped. What is your take on Governor Aminu Bello Masari's journey so far and the present democratic dispensation? The governor has done wonderfully well. He has succeeded in doing so many things like demystifying governance in such way that people have easy access to the government. I think you are in living witness to that fact. The second aspect is that if you look at his achievements in terms of education, roads and so many others aspects, it is second to none. I have known His Excellency for the past 10 years, so I know the kind of person he is. If we look at it, his only major challenge or constraint is the dwindling resources that are not forthcoming. But despite these resources, I believe if we are to assess him, then we will find out that he has done well. Recently, you kick-started ICT training for teachers in Katsina State. What is your motivation? It is part of my contribution to the development of the state. When I realized that there is a skill gap within the 185 identified computer tutors in Katsina state, I just tried to see how I could train and retrain those ICT tutors. In phase one, we trained the 185 tutors in three centres namely Mani, Dutsin-ma and kankara CBT centres. We accomplished that last month. The second phase will involve technical training for those who have technical skills in the CBT centres set-up by Katsina state Government across the three senatorial zones. Of course, all these trainings are being taken by me free of charge. The second phase of the training will begin on Monday. If you want to witness it, it is going to take place at the laboratory of the Youth Craft Village. This is to ensure that ICT tutors are brought up to cutting-edge technology because they are the ones imparting knowledge to the students in the state. It is like the train the trainer programme. By the time we are able to train them; they will go back and train their students. How far have you gone with your plan to establish a private university? The plan is on board. I already have a blueprint already to establish it. A private university is not a rocket science; it can be established by anybody, you should know that my background, for 19 years, was in the educational sector. So, I have the blue print already. All I am waiting for is for God to say let it happen, for the resources to come and I will actualize it. It is a simple dream and it can be accomplished. It has been done by so many people across the word. So, it is possible, it's reasonable, it is realistic and prepared to do it, if God spares my life in the next, I don't know how many years, in sha Allah. Considering your philanthropic portfolio, many believe that a political seat will create an avenue for you to do even more. What are your plans for 2019? To be honest with you I am not vying anything in 2019 and beyond, I believe you don't have to be a politician to contribute to your community and immediate society. God has structured humanity and life itself in a way that everyone can contribute to societal development not necessarily as politician and has made me to be an investor and entrepreneur. So, from this platform of being an entrepreneur, I am contributing to uplift my immediate society. People have been talking about that since I started about 15 years ago. Don't forget that this (recently commissioned secondary school project) is not the first project I have carried out in that community, and it has nothing to do with 2019 and beyond. It has to do with the fact that I should give back to my immediate society. Can you elaborate on some of the projects you have undertaken in the process of giving back to your community? The first major project was carried out about nine years ago when I constructed two blocks of classrooms at kadandani Primary School. Much later, I constructed a Juma'at mosque which was commissioned by His Highness, the Emir of Katsina, about five years ago. The third major project was when we constructed a 20 bed hospital in conjunction with CSDP. It was a partnership between me, the community and the CSDP where we able to realize 20 bed hospital. Again, about five years ago, I initiated a scheme, goat multiplication scheme in our community where I gave about N1.6 million and people are still using it; the prime target is the women (in the community) who are most vulnerable. With that, many can cater for their children and their well being. So, this project, the construction a whole secondary school is about the biggest project I have carried out. Don't forget the fact that this secondary school has been in existence in the past nine years. I was among the people that initiated it about nine years ago; it was not that the school actually started yesterday. I initiated the idea and I paid the rent of the farm house which was the temporary site of the school. We were paying KTARDA about N30, 000 per annum for the students to use the property but as the school population increased we have to use kadandani Primary School where the pupils and the students operated on shift. Not everyone with the means would like to give that much to their community. What inspired you to give so much to your community? We were of course brought up with government resources; we privileged then to have been sponsored 100 per cent up master level by of course the former Kaduna State and Katsina State Governments. I believe that government resources are people's resources that have been invested in us. The investment has started yielding fruits and dividends, so we should be able to give back part of it to the society. So, every other person is supposed to do what I am doing because in the North we were trained with the resources of the government: we were given transport fare, pocket money and every other thing including scholarship and luncheon vouchers at different levels. I believe that it is what really inspired me. And you can look at it from the perspective of the fact that in the last 30 to 40 years, there has been exponential increase in population especially as it affects the North and unfortunately government's revenue has continued to noise dive in the past 20 to 30 years to a limit where government cannot cater for everybody. That is the real situation; if government were to dedicate all its money to education, it cannot address the challenges it is facing. So, I just felt that government's effort has to be complemented be everybody, not necessarily by the well meaning persons alone. People believe that they need to have money before they can contribute towards the uplift or development of our society. No, they don't need to have money before doing that; even prayer or motivations are important contributions. I challenge most of the people, who of course in the past 30 or 50 years have never visited their Alma mater to pray for the students or the teachers of the schools because prayer can be offered by anybody. "if we are to assess him (Masari), then we will find out that he has done well."

COMMON ICT ACRONYMS WE USE ON DAILY BASIS: At Continental Computers, we don't only provide quality products and services, we also add value to our esteemed customers by providing useful ICT tips needed to keep one relevant in this IT age. ***Hit "Share" and Drop your comments.***

History was made today as His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari (Gov. Katsina State) commissioned the Kadandani Community Secondary School (12 classrooms, Admin block and a standard computer center powered by renewable energy) single-handedly constructed by Alhaji Salisu Mamman (MD/CEO Continental Computers Katsina). All thanks to God.

Six(6) days Training Workshop for all secondary school ICT Facilitators, Computer Lab Attendants/Technician across Katsina State. Special thanks to Katsina State Government for this great opportunity. PROUDLY SPONSORED BY CONTINENTAL COMPUTERS IN COLLABORATION WITH KATSINA STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION.