President Muhammadu Buhari Monday urged Kaduna State indigenes to
cooperate with government and security agencies to secure peace and
harmony, stressing that development will only take place when energies
are collectively channeled to the building, instead of destruction of
lives and property.
“We must live together as brothers and sisters because, without peace,
development cannot take place,” the President noted at a virtual
opening of the Fifth Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit, with the
theme KADInvest 5.0, Infrastructure, Industrialisation and Innovation.
“I wish to commend the efforts of the Kaduna State Government to
establish its credentials as one of the new investment destinations of
choice in Nigeria. These efforts have received just recognition in the
response of the business community which has put in new investments in
the state.
“This is a further affirmation of the ranking of the state as Number One
for Ease of Doing Business by the World Bank’s Doing Business Report
2018. I call on the Kaduna State Government to keep up these laudable
efforts and surpass the impressive results already attained,” President
Buhari said.
He noted that the success of state governments in attracting
investments, creating jobs, and increasing their internally generated
revenues would be critical to the development of the entire country.
“Therefore, I am impressed that the Kaduna State Government has from
inception used KADInvest as a serious platform for showcasing its
investment potentials. The state’s commitment to consistent
implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Charter is exemplary,
including its ability to increase its Internally Generated Revenue to
N44bn in 2019 from N13bn in 2015 without hiking tax rates. This is very
laudable.”
The President congratulated the Kaduna State government for making
KADInvest a regular fixture on the investment calendar, held annually
since 2016.
“It is a fitting statement of the resilience of the Kaduna State
Government that it is able to host the 2020 edition amidst the severe
disruptions to the normal order caused by Covid-19. This is the sort of
determined focus that can help the country to navigate the challenging
consequences of the pandemic.
“It was my pleasure to commission the Olam Hatchery and Feed Mill
project in 2017, about 18 months after the ground-breaking was done at
the first edition of KADInvest in 2016. It is commendable that investors
like Tomato Jos are creating jobs in the agribusiness sector, taking
advantage of Kaduna State’s prioritisation of agriculture.
“I also note with delight the success of new investments in renewable
energy like Blue Camel and tractor assembly and the revitalisation of
poultry farms across the state. The ongoing development of iron mining
and steel processing capacity in the state through investments by
African Natural Resources and Mines Limited is especially commendable.”
President Buhari said the Federal Government will continue to support
efforts to attract job-creating investments.
“We believe that much can be done at the sub-national level to drive
human capital development and expand economic opportunity. I note with
delight the massive investments in infrastructure upgrade Kaduna State
is executing through the urban renewal programmes in Kaduna, Kafanchan,
and Zaria.
“Given the track record since 2015, I have no doubt that the Kaduna
State Government and its private sector partners will take full
advantage of the economic windows that are being opened by Federal
Government investments such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline.
“The state government should afford full cooperation and support to
cross-border federal projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline
and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway.”