By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Kaduna State has developed toolkits for implementation of the World Bank-supported Framework for Responsible and Inclusive Land-Intensive Agricultural Investments (FRILIA) principles.
Dr Yahaya Ibrahim, one of the FRILIA consultants, made this known in Kaduna on Monday, at the training of key government officials on how to administer the toolkits to investors.
Ibrahim explained that the state government adopted the FRILIA principles in the implementation of the World Bank-supported Kaduna State Economic Transformation Programme-for-Result (PforR).
He said that the FRILIA principles were aimed at mainstreaming international best practices into the development of agricultural business in the state for sustainable economic growth and development.
Ibrahim, the Director, Centre for Energy and Environmental Strategy Research, Kaduna State University, added that the principles equally encourage shared benefits between private investors and host communities.
He identified the principles as overarching investment principles, principles on recognising and protecting land rights, principles on state land acquisition and resettlement, and principles related to environmental and social sustainability.
According to him, FRILIA principles have been unbundled into seven toolkits; namely stakeholder engagement, grievance redress mechanism, involuntary resettlement, validation, and compensation, and environmental and social risk management.
“Others are community needs assessment and development, out-growers and food security, and global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Maryam Dangaji, Programme Manager, Kaduna State Economic Transformation Programme for Result, said that the goal was to improve the business-enabling environment and strengthen fiscal management and accountability.
Dangaji identified the lead implementing agencies as Kaduna State Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS), Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Planning and Budget Commission and Kaduna State Public Procurement Agency (KADPPA).
She explained that KADIPA would simplify business processes, strengthen investment promotion, and develop legal and institutional framework for Public Private Partnership (PPP).
“KADGIS will implement a systematic property registration programme, develop and implement FRILIA, while KADIRS will increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and improve tax collection.
“The Planning and Budget Commission will increase capital expenditure execution rate and improve government responsiveness to citizen’s feedback on fiscal performance.
“KADPPA is expected to increase procurement effectiveness,” she said.
She said that the training was for responsible officers to know how to use the toolkits and make the investment environment friendly and easy.
She added that further engagement would involve investors, community stakeholders and State Executives.
