FG lauds Kaduna Govt’s investment initiative

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna has commended the Kaduna State Government’s investment initiative, noting that it was in line with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

The Minister stated this on Thursday at the Kaduna Investment Summit, (KADINVEST), which kicks off on Thursday in Kaduna.

Mrs Ahmed who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duty, Dr Mohammed Dikwa, lauded the political will of the El’Rufai-led government to contribute it’s quota to turning around Africa’s extractive industries.

She also congratulated the Governor of Kaduna State over his re-election, and expressed confidence that he will take the State to Next Level of economic growth and development through good goverance as he had already achieved.

She said:”I would like to start by commending and congratulating His Excellency, the Executive Governor and his team for this laudable effort.

It is my understanding that this summit is the fourth in the series being organized by the Kaduna State Government and this shows the commitment of the State in growing its investment frontiers to make Kaduna a destination choice for investors.

“The priority sectors being showcased at this summit including housing, manufacturing and agro-allied sectors show that indeed Kaduna in strategically aligned with the Federal Government’s growth agenda – the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (ERGP), as these are also sectors that we believe will drive the sustainable, inclusive and accelerated socio-economic growth of our dear Nation- Nigeria.

“The priority sectors also show Kaduna’s willingness to contribute its quota to turning around Africa’s pervasive problem of having extractive industries with little or no value addition done.

As most economies merely export raw materials and import finished goods, this implies that we not only export high value jobs but also lose out on value addition that we would have localized in our country. I therefore commend Kaduna and encourage other States to follow suit.”

According to her, Kaduna State Government’s commitment to bold reforms is yielding results with the State recognised as pacesetter in many regards which 2018 Sub-national Ease of Doing Business Report ranked Kaduna as “the easiest place to enforce a contract and register a property.

She noted that the State has eliminated the cumbersome processes of doing business as it used to be.

“Kaduna has achieved remarkable progress with ease of doing business, with the State acknowledged to be among those that have made the largest advance towards global practices frontier.

Kaduna State’s commitment to bold reforms is yielding results with the State recognized as a pace setter in many regards.

For example, the 2018 Sub-national Ease of Doing business Report ranks Kaduna as the easiest place to enforce a contract and register property.

“Kaduna State’s Ease of Doing Business Charter has eliminated common challenges faced by investors who now have a ‘one-stop shop’ ‘to get approvals and business documentations at half of the time it used to take before.

“So also has the State continued to implement economic and market-oriented initiatives that have resulted in a complete change in the economic performance of the State.

This includes among others, the implementation of the Fiscal Sustainability Plans for States – (implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Enforcement of Procurement Act) and the establishment of the Kaduna Produce Management Company (KADPMC)”, she said.