As the most vulnerable and disadvantaged rural and urban poor population/citizens of Kaduna State welcome the timely intervention of Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency (KADEDA) in the present difficult economic situation, it is hoped that the agency will not tow the footpath of the erstwhile KADSTEP.
The online mapping and capture of registered MSMEs, the micro business in the informal sector and identification of the most vulnerable citizens in the state by KADEDA should not be discounted. These categories of citizens spared their time and resources to provide their information on the KADEDA website and are hopeful that they will be the pioneer beneficiaries of KADEDA’s intervention in the state. It is hoped that their dreams will not be shattered.
It is hoped that the political class and elite would not find ways to substitute the names of the valid and genuine registered names and businesses on the KADEDA’s database with names and businesses of political boys and loyalists of the politicians.
It is hoped that the Executive Secretary (Although a thoroughbred politician in his own right) would not succumb to the pressures and intense lobbying from different angles to dance to the tune of the politicians while discounting the efforts, sacrifices and commitments of the names on the KADEDA’s database.
It is hoped that KADEDA will come up with empowerment programs that would target women, youth, persons with special needs, and out-of-school/dropouts including Almajirai. They can be transformed into agricultural entrepreneurs with the right agricultural empowerment programs. Agricultural empowerment programs have proven to be successful interventions in rural and urban poor communities where the beneficiaries are willing and committed to the programs. Agricultural empowerment programs have multiplier effects on the people, the agricultural value chains and the potential to generate income and revenue for households and the state.
Bashir Yahaya wrote from Zaria, Kaduna State