TheCable

Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, says states should harness their comparative advantages to increase internally generated revenues (IGR) and job creation to withstand global economic shocks.

El-Rufai said this on Saturday at the 7th edition of the  Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KadInvest 7.0).

Speaking on the milestone of his administration, el-Rufai said the state has attracted more investments, created jobs, and increased internally generated revenue (IGR), among others.

The governor also explained why investors should invest in Kaduna state, citing the abundance of natural resources, a productive workforce, steady economic growth and being the gateway to the northern market.

While delivering his speech, he said Kaduna has attracted a total investment portfolio of $488,000,000, comprising actualised 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.

“Kaduna state is also the most improved state in the 2018 Ease of Doing Business Subnational report by the World Bank and it has a very investor-friendly environment. The state is also the third biggest consumer market in Nigeria, the third most populous state in Nigeria and has 52 percent 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.

“Also, raking in N52 billion as internally generated revenue (IGR) last year, adding that IGR was N11 billion in 2015 when he assumed office,” he said.

El-Rufai further said the remodelled Murtala Muhammed Square was commissioned this year and has world-class sporting facilities, shopping malls, restaurants and various recreational centres.

He added 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 a dual carriageway, three ground rotaries, Aliyu Makama Road in Barnawa, and the Leventis Underpass, were all commissioned by the president.

“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 El-Rufai, 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 the CoLab innovation campus as the anchor tenant. The manufacturing facility of AMA medical, a plant built to produce intravenous fluids, was also commissioned.

“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.

The governor also mentioned that his administration signed a technical and management service agreement with the Doctors Clinic Company of the United Arab Emirates on the 300-bed hospital.

In addition, the Kaduna state government signed an agreement with Elekta for the purchase of equipment for the nuclear medicine and oncology centre which will expand the national capacity for treating cancer.

El-Rufai, however, said it is necessary for the government to be innovative, especially “in the wake of the global economic slowdown and to sustain reforms into the next administration”.

He advised other states 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 crises”.