By; FUNMI ADERINTO, Kaduna
Kaduna State Government has attracted a total investment portfolio of $4, 488,000,000, comprising actualized and announced investments and has created 75,750 direct and indirect jobs, in the last seven years.
The government has also been providing a conducive environment for the private sector to drive the economy, by embarking on numerous policy actions and reforms, including the hosting of the yearly Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (kadinvest) since 2016.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai,:made this known in his presentation on Saturday at the 7th edition of the three-day Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (Kadinvest 7.0) which commenced on Thursday.
The governor who gave a recap of what his administration achieved since inception, explained why investors should invest in Kaduna State, citing abundance of natural resources, a productive workforce, steady economic growth and being the gateway to the northern market.
‘’Kaduna State is also the most improved state in 2018 Ease of Doing Business Subnational report by the World Bank and it has a very investor-friendly environment,’’ he said.
el-Rufai further said that the state, ‘’is also the third biggest consumer market in Nigeria, the third most populous state in Nigeria and has 52% of Nigeria’s consumer market.’
‘’Besides, Kaduna State is rich in mineral resources as it has over 25 non-oil mineral deposits, including gold, iron ore and marble,’’ he added.
The governor also listed some of the major achievements of his administration, which include raking in N52 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) last year, adding that IGR was N11 billion in 2015 when he assumed office.
el-Rufai also said that the remodeled Murtala Muhammed Square was commissioned this year, as it now has world class sporting facilities, shopping malls, restaurants and various recreational centres.
He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned, ‘’some road projects of the urban renewal programme within the Kafanchan Municipal Authority and Zaria, during his state visit in January.’’
‘’The Infectious Disease Centre in Mando, LGEA Primary School, Lokoja Road, Rigasa, the new Kawo-fly over bridge, which has dual carriageway, three ground rotaries, Aliyu Makama Road in Barnawa, the Leventis Underpass, were all commissioned by the president,’’ he said.
The governor disclosed that ‘’KDSG has handed over Zaria Pharmaceuticals to private investors, who will produce syringes, intravenous fluids and specimen bottles. The revamped company is expected to create 200 direct and over 1,000 indirect jobs. ‘’
According to him, the government flagged off ‘’the third phase of disbursement of loans to women entrepreneurs under the Kaduna State Women Empowerment Fund KADSWEF 3.0.’’
‘’This year, the Technology City was commissioned at Barnawa, with CoLab Innovation Campus as anchor tenant. The manufacturing facility of AMA Medical, a plant built to produce intravenous fluids, was also commissioned,’’ he recalled.
Zipline’s operations for instant delivery of medical consumables to health facilities was commissioned at Pambegua, the first of three planned distribution hubs in the state, he added.
el-Rufai also said that, ‘’KDSG signed a technical and management service agreement with Doctors Clinic Company of the United Arab Emirates on the 300 bed hospital.’
‘’In addition, it also signed an agreement with Elekta for the purchase of equipment for the nuclear medicine and oncology centre at the hospital. This will expand the national capacity for treating cancer,’’ he added.
Justifying the theme of KADINVEST 7.0, which is, “Building a Resilient Economy’’, the governor noted that it is necessary for government to be innovative, especially ‘’ in the wake of the global economic slowdown and to sustain reforms into the next Administration.’’
According to el-Rufai, states should, ‘’begin to innovate and become more resilient against global economic shocks and begin to harness their comparative advantages to increase internally generated revenues and job creation to withstand these crisis.’’
