The former chairman of Katsina Chamber of Commerce, who doubled as chairman of Continental Computer and Investment, Alhaji Salisu Mamman, has called on the government to prioritise entrepreneurship development as a strategy to alleviate hardship and ensure sustainable growth in Katsina State.
He lauded Governor Dikko Umar Radda’s strides in reforming key sectors but emphasized the importance of economic empowerment through skills development and entrepreneurship.
Speaking with our correspondent in Katsina, Mamman said Governor Radda emphasised efforts in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, describing them as “transformative.”
Noting that economic hardship can only be mitigated through innovative policies that foster job creation and self-reliance among the youth, he urged the government to complement reforms with targeted efforts to develop entrepreneurship and skill acquisition programmes.
“The government should create innovation hubs, provide funding opportunities for startups, and partner with the private sector to train youth in technology and business management,” he proposed.
Emphasizing the role of agriculture, which is the backbone of Katsina’s economy, he suggested that empowering farmers with modern tools, training, and access to markets could spur agro-based entrepreneurship, which he said the state governor has started implementing.
Mamman further lauded the administration’s focus on education, with the 2024 budget allocating the largest share to the sector, stressing that projects such as the construction of 150 secondary schools, partly funded by the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), are commendable.
“Providing access to quality education is crucial, but coupling it with entrepreneurship and technical training will prepare our youth for self-sufficiency and economic independence,” he said.
While critics argue that urban areas benefit more from development initiatives, Mamman dismissed these concerns, pointing to projects like rural healthcare centres and road networks in Munduru, Radda, and Kandandani. He noted that balanced growth is key to sustainable development.
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