Today’s occasion is, by all means, very historic and significant as we continue to interact with a wide spectrum of Citizens of our dear State of Jigawa. For almost two months, we were traversing all the nooks and crannies of Jigawa State, interacting with the people, giving account of our stewardship and getting fresh insights on their expectations, yearnings and aspirations. This is in the spirit of
accountable governance informed by our quest to remain ever responsive to issues of the moment. Yes… Our grand vision for our dear State is anchored on the 12-Point Agenda. On this platform, we are pursuing several transformative socioeconomic development programmes to deliver that vision of Greater Jigawa. Nonetheless, even as we resolutely pursue attaining all our strategic development objectives across all sectors, we must create platforms for constructive engagement with the citizens to ensure we remain on course and responsive to their development priorities.
The interactive session we are having today with Jigawa Academics, our depository of knowledge and the cream of intellectuals in our Society, is indeed historic. The occasion is coming almost midway into our first term in Office – exactly two weeks to the second anniversary of our administration. As intellectuals, I firmly believe many of the audience here today would vividly recall our commitments to the people of Jigawa State on that historic day of Monday, 29th May 2023 and the various declarations we have made across all sectors in the journey to Greater Jigawa. As I mentioned then, we hold the mandate to govern the affairs of our State as “a sacred trust entrusted to us to deliver the will of the people in the most responsive manner”. It is a “compact
between us and the citizens, which we stand obligated to deliver by the Oath of Office that we signed, and with utmost transparency and accountability. Even though ultimate accountability would be to our Creator, the interactive sessions we are having with the citizens, including today’s, are an accountability mechanism we found to be very effective, if only for the constructive feedback we have been receiving therefrom.
It is with this spirit that we have approached the business of governance since assuming the mantle of leadership, and AlhamduLillah, I must say our Journey to Greater Jigawa, guided by our vision of a secured and prosperous State, is entirely on course. As we continue to roll out projects, programmes and initiatives informed by our development agenda and our commitments to the people, I feel highly confident that the long-term prosperity and socioeconomic wellbeing of the present and future generations is guaranteed.
Ladies and Gentlemen from academia, let me take a moment to give you some of the major highlights of the success stories we have recorded as we prepare to mark our second anniversary in Office. I am sure many of you would recall that what informed our 2023 Electioneering Campaign was essentially the 12-Point Agenda within the confines of which we made our campaign promises. As I highlight the progress we have so far made, those of you that are well acquainted with the Ageda, particularly those that have contributed to its development, would come to note that not only are we on track, but very importantly, we have remained consistent with its prescription for the attainment of those overarching objectives that would ultimately guarantee the long-term prosperity and socioeconomic wellbeing of the present and future generations of the people in Jigawa State.
First and foremost, I should mention that the culmination point of the 12-Point Agenda is adequately reflected in the strategic development objective we are pursuing for Jigawa State. Primarily, this is to achieve positive transformations across all sectors for sustained improvements in the socioeconomic wellbeing of the entire people in our State – including the unborn generations. Accordingly, our focus has been on the pursuit human-centered economic growth policies with emphasis on such areas as agricultural transformation, sustained expansion of critical infrastructure, economic empowerment and employment creation; as well the pursuit of human development programmes that would make lasting impact on the State’s human development indices including Health, Education and targeted social protection interventions. A synopsis of the progress we have recorded as follows:
Agricultural Transformation
Sustained pursuit of Agricultural Transformation is one of our major commitments. For the last two years the State Government has doggedly pursued this, seeking to transform the State into the food basket of Nigeria. Already, Jigawa State is a major contributor to National Food Security and diversification of the Nigerian Economy. Since assuming the mantle of leadership, we have ensured timely access to critical agricultural inputs on which Government has expended billions of Naira in financing subsidies for the farmers. We have also made significant progress in our efforts to transform the production systems from subsistence agriculture characterized by too much drudgery to mechanized agriculture through the supply of hundreds of tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural equipments and implements.
Special Interventions such as Rice Millionaires Program, Agricultural Support Program for Civil Servants, Agricultural Empowerment Support for Poor & Vulnerable Households under J-CARES, Recruitment of over 1,500 Extension Agents under the J-AGRO, and 300 Community Animal Health Extension Agents, and a host of others, are also significantly contributing to our quest for economic growth and improved wellbeing for the people.
As some of you are aware, we have developed a Comprehensive Wheat and Rice Development Strategy as well as a Comprehensive Livestock Development Reform Plan, the implementation of all of which we hope to collaborate with the Federal Government (through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Presidential Livestock Reforms Program) and other Development Partners. Jigawa State is the most significant contributor to landholding and production levels in the National Wheat Program, which was introduced by the federal government last year. Likewise, in the Rice Development Programme, where we launched this year’s Dry Season Rice Irrigation Programme only a few weeks ago, under which we target to support the cultivation of about 250,000 hectares, up from 200,000 last year. Our target in this respect is to help the cultivation of 500,000 hectares by 2030, by which time, up to 50% of Nigeria’s total rice requirement would be
produced in Jigawa State – In Shaa Allah. It takes only the government’s commitment for sustained investment, which we are determined to continue.
To drive our grand plans for all the agricultural transformation programmes we are pursuing, we have established, by Law, the State Agricultural Transformation Agency. Primarily, the Agency supports the transition from subsistence farming to a productive, commercial, and market-oriented agricultural system and promotes the adoption of new technologies, improved crop varieties, and climate-smart practices. To support these, we have also established the Jigawa Farm Mechanisation Company, for which we have procured 300 tractors, 60 combine harvesters and other Agricultural implements, including planters and thrashers, among others, to be managed by the Company. These are presently all being assembled here in Jigawa State. We have already trained thirty qualified young men as Master Tractor Technicians in China to ensure adequate maintenance of the procured Agricultural Equipment. All these initiatives align with our commitment to transforming the agricultural sector to achieve the overarching State Development Objective of sustained improvements in the people’s socioeconomic wellbeing.
We have recently begun upland dry season irrigation farming using underground water resources in an unprecedented move. Many would recall that late in February this year, we commissioned the Lallashi Borehole-Based Irrigation Scheme, which clearly demonstrates our commitment towards achieving food security, providing sustainable
means of livelihoods and reducing poverty among the people. This Borehole-Based Irrigation Scheme demonstrates the possibilities and limitless opportunities for all-year-round farming even in the desert-prone areas of our State. Again, it takes only the government’s commitment to sustained investment, which we are determined to continue. Related to this is our commitment to rehabilitate some of our dams and irrigation facilities to bring more of our arable lands under cultivation. Synergistically, we are being creative to support water intake to the dams through some of major erosion control projects we are executing.
Critical Infrastructure
Provision of infrastructure, particularly roads and power supply, is deemed critical within our overall Agenda for Greater Jigawa. This is in consideration of the key roles these play in accelerating inclusive economic growth and development with multiplier effects on other sectors. Notwithstanding the fact that Jigawa State has one of the highest road network densities in Nigeria with virtually all urban centers and major towns connected to each other, provision of roads and electricity has continued to standout are major development needs of most communities in the State.
In consideration of this and in fulfilment of our commitments, Government has awarded contracts for 46 Road Projects with a distance of almost 978 kilometres worth over N304 billion. This is unprecedented in the history of Jigawa State. The project scope include new regional and township roads, rehabilitation and upgrade of some existing roads, and some few rural feed roads. Indeed, this was in addition to 26 ongoing road projects inherited from the previous administration covering a distance of about 340 kilometres with total outstanding liabilities and contractual commitments amounting to over N60 billion. I am delighted to inform this gathering of esteemed academics, that 23 out of the 26 projects have been completed waiting to be commissioned while others are going on in earnest in accordance with the agreed completion periods. Indeed, we are also planning to flag-off the commencement of more new road projects in the State in the coming months.
Following the deregulation of the power sector and its inclusions in the concurrent legislative list by the National Assembly, we are taking some bold steps to transform the power sector in Jigawa State.
To lead this Agenda effectively, we have established a State Ministry of Power and Energy and have enacted a State Electricity Law to provide for an Electricity Regulatory Agency for the State. This was done to promote access to electricity through increased private sector investments and public-private partnerships in the area of generation and transmission of electricity including off-grid renewable energy solutions. I am delighted to inform our esteemed audience that we have a substantive Memorandum of Understanding with KEDCO (in which Jigawa State now has a 10% stake) to jointly explore the renewable energy solutions to improve power supply in the State. Discussions are already ongoing with some prospective investors towards the establishment of independent power station in under a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement.
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