Kaduna Government Expects N800 billion Investment in the Next 5 years – Commissioner

The Kaduna State Government expects about N800 billion investment in the state over the next five years, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammed Abdullahi, has said.

Abdullahi said while briefing newsmen in Kaduna on the achievements of the administration in the last one year, that the expectations were based on the outcome of the state economic forum held in April.

“We are working seriously to sign them to paper, to come on board. This is not by mistake or by error, but a deliberate policy of the government.”

The commissioner stressed that the administration has a clear vision of attracting private sector investment to the state, to enhance the economy, create jobs and expand opportunities.

“In April we launched the biggest poultry farm in the entire sub-Sahara Africa in Chukun Local Government owned by Olam, which is a $150 million facility.”

He added that the government had signed a number of Memorandum of Understanding to drive investment in the state.

On the 2016 budget, Abdullahi said it was focused on developing infrastructure and providing social services.

“This year alone, we are targeting to spend N108 billion, with N32 billion of that amount going to the works sector, doing various roads across the state. Already there are number of roads that have been completed within the state, and we are expanding to ensure that we can do as much as possible before the rains fully commence.”

The commissioner disclosed that the administration would come out with a clear vision on where the state would be In the next five years from 2016 -2020 .

“The document has identified four major priority in the state , which are: economic development, social welfare, security and justice, and governance. In the next three years we intend to invest in infrastructure development across the state, we are looking at infrastructure that will drive business and jobs and income.”

He said government would open up roads that would link communities, to improve agriculture and manufacturing.

Abdullahi also said special focus would be given to health, education, and security.

The commissioner assured that in spite of dwindling revenue which had dropped by 40 per cent, the government would fulfil its campaign promises.

He said that the administration had adopted cost saving measures and blocked areas of revenue leakages, to remain buoyant.

“What we discover for example, was that in 2014, the Government House appended N2.1 billion on itself, in that same year the government allocated only N400 million to the entire health sector in the state.”