The need to sustain Kaduna state to its pride of place as a competitive business and industrial hub with attendant benefits to the citizens through upgrade of infrastructure which has multiplying effects towards increased job creation, poverty reduction and wealth spread is necessary more than ever before; especially as Kaduna state’s population growth increases, next to only mega cities as Kano and Lagos with over 6.1 million as per 2006 census, with incremental rise expected of 8.1 million in 2016, 8.4 million as per 2018, and with further expected rise to 12.96 million by 2050.
Dissecting on Governor Uba Sani’s upgrade of infrastructure and rural transformation strides, and how the administration was able to navigate through tempestuous times in the last one year; characterised by huge contractual liabilities amidst paucity of funds in settlement of both foreign and domestic debts incurred by the previous administration; I believe strongly that the Uba Sani administration’s “Sustain Kaduna Agenda,” is on the right track to spur growth; most notably on upgrade of infrastructure and with much more needed to be done as the progress continuity projects.
It is a well-known fact that no economy can grow without infrastructure, as this is eminent that the SUSTAIN MANIFESTO (page 10-12) stipulates clear emphasis on UPGRADE OF INFRASTRUCTURE with a vision to consolidate and continue the unprecedented infrastructure upgrade to enhance public welfare and accelerate economic growth. But it’s evident that aberration is necessary from the consolidation mantra of the past government, with the present administration focusing more attention to rural transformation which is rightly so and on track; coupled with intense get-up-and-go to round up the urban renewal projects across the state.
Nevertheless, significant fiscal resources are required to bridge the large infrastructural needs in the state which was coined at a minimum total projected expenditures for core infrastructure development interventions in key sectors of transportation, education, health, water and sanitation, and agriculture which amounts to over N20 trillion over the Plan horizon covering 2018 – 2050 as captured in the dumped Kaduna State Infrastructure Master plan.
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Conversely, the Kaduna state government does not have the huge resources required to implement and operate the proposed infrastructure development projects. Therefore, it was impressive that the current government understood the need to tow international best practice lines of exploring various non-budgetary financing options. Budget (Public current accounts); Public Private Partnership (PPPs) and Other Public Sources. While the traditional budget approach has been what it was from 2015-till date, used in the past for infrastructure development, the state now has been exploring all other financing options in implementing the existing infrastructure gap in the state.
As I pointed out in previous articles, BEYOND 100 DAYS: UBA SANI’S INFRASTRUCTURE MAGNUM OPUS and Memo, Infrastructural Development: A Memo to Sen Uba Sani, and while I highlighted the critical role the infrastructural development is to enhancing job creation and socio-economic growth and development of the state.
Interestingly, in the last one year, it is clear that Gov. Uba Sani’s achievement within the first 100 days and beyond, significantly now that he is one year in office; have been an indicator of future success. The one-year achievements are characterised through holistic overview as the Uba Sani led government continue to repositioned the state into an accelerated rural-urban development, and by extension through the sustainable environmental infrastructure by bolstering indigenous stakeholders involvement in critical projects and local patronage. As a built environment stakeholder, I will attempt to make few inferences from Uba Sani’s infrastructural strides.
First, the governor appears to be an optimist. Optimists see the positive side of things. They expect things to turn out well, even from very bad situations. This attribute of the Uba Sani’s personality has seen the realisation for the construction and flag-off commissioning of notable project as; the constructions of three Vocational and Technology Skills Cities being built in each zone of the state, that of Rigachikun, Soba and Kafanchan where on high gear towards completion as work are ongoing simultaneously. When completed, the Skills Cities aimed to addressing the skills deficits in Kaduna State. Citizens will have the requisite skills to fill positions in the industries and other businesses that have been attracted to Kaduna State. The contractors have made remarkable progress amidst high quality.
Secondly, as a seasoned politician and engineer, the governor understands the need to effectively tap into the infrastructural opportunities, under his watch in the last one year; has been able to prioritize international collaboration, private sector growth, encourage entrepreneurship, empowerment and job-creating programmes, promote vocational and Technology skills, ease of doing business enhancement, boost trade and investment and enhanced transparency.
Th Governor also commissioned the Kangimi Lithium Processing Plant. The lithium company which has the capacity of producing 1,500-metric tonnes per day is an investment worth US$12Million) and is located at Kangimi in Igabi Local Government. The Kaduna State Government owns 30% stake in the company among several laudable projects. This was part of the activities marking the first anniversary of Senator Uba Sani’s tenure as Governor of Kaduna State amidst high assurance on of returns on investment in the overall interest of the state.
Thirdly, Governor Uba Sani believes that there is need for multi-pronged, people-oriented infrastructural projects, although challenging, present an opportunity for Kaduna to take advantage of “Renewed Hope Agenda” of president Tinubu, and various domestic and international partners to reposition the infrastructural needs of the state towards the path of economic recovery in order to achieve sustainable economic growth.
In the light of the foregoing, within the last one year in office; the governor had shown desired and undoubtful commitment to drive the completion of abandoned projects across the state comprising roads, waterways, bridges, initiate major link to market projects which possess element of value generation, wealth creation and employment generations capable of unlocking new and expansive economic frontiers in the state.
However, in line with the governor’s priority to give the state infrastructural facelift, strategic inputs were been put in place in filling realistic gaps related to rapid completion of on-going projects handled by various MDAs across the state in form of task-based interventions and multi-pronged, people-oriented projects.
Education infrastructure, had increased in view to addressing the number of out of- school children and the population growth of the State; over the past year, Governor Sani’s administration has been dedicated to improving the educational landscape by upgrading school infrastructure, the number of the existing schools and classroom blocks under the current government were doubled to increasingly cater for the school age children.
Key achievements in the education sector under Governor Uba Sani’s leadership is the construction of 2,326 new classrooms across the state’s 23 local government areas, Renovation of 707 additional classrooms and the distribution of over 34,000 pieces of furniture for pupils and teachers and the installation of hygienic toilets and hand pumps for clean drinking water in schools across the state.
Notably, Governor Uba Sani’s contributions to basic educational infrastructure include the establishment and improvement of several schools across the state which include, Sani Adamu Primary School in Tuchan Jukan, Basic Education School in Kagadanma, Kani LGA, Shehu Idris Basic Education School in Babban Dodo, Ambassador Lawal Sambo Kodar Kona in Zaria, Government Girls Secondary School in Fada, Zaria, LGEA Primary School on Loknja Road, Rigasa, Basic Education School in Malali, Nomadic Nursery & Primary School in Rafin Guza, Basic Education School in Bagado, Chikun, Ja’afaru Model Primary School in Sabon Gari, Zaria, LGEA Primary School in Ungwan Mua’azu, Basic Education School in Baddiko, LGEA Primary School in Maraban Jos, Basic Education School in Danbushiya, Government Junior Secondary School in Jere among several others.
In addition, health infrastructure at both primary and Secondary attracted more focus to addressing maternal mortality and improved health centers. As part of the one-year anniversary, the project commissioning of the Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) Gas Plant that uses advance gas generation technology to provide the needed oxygen at the hospital and the newly constructed newborn (neonatal) unit to cater for newborn child age 0-28 days and offer special services to sustain the lives of children and nursing mothers at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital to cater for the health need of the residents of the state were done. The government was able to continuously get the needed support through UNICEF, IHS Tours Limited and the Canadian Government for supporting efforts of the state government upgrade in health facilities.
Agriculture Infrastructure is also one of the mainstays of the State and the major growth drivers. The administration is addressing inadequate rural road networks through the rural transformation initiatives, to enable effective movement of farm produce from the farm gate to the market. Also, limited silos and cold rooms or even processing centres for effective storage and processing of farm produce which often leads to huge post-harvest losses is on the pipeline for holistic approach.
Currently, the only one silo in the State, owned by the Federal Government is on purposeful negotiations to transfer the ownership of this silo to the State is crucial more than ever before. The state witnessed groundbreaking for the construction of the $50 Million Soya Bean Oil Refining Plant by Sunagrow International Oil Ltd at Kutungare, Igabi LG of Kaduna State. When completed, the $50m Soya Bean Oil Refining Plant will have a production capacity of 500,000 litres per day and with steadfast guarantee that investments in Kaduna State shall be nurtured by a robust policy framework and unwavering support.
Road infrastructure, the Governor Uba Sani administration has taken a bold step by performing the groundbreaking for the construction of approximately 50 roads, totaling 639.5km across the three senatorial districts. While a number of these projects have already been successfully completed, the remaining majority are progressing steadily towards completion. The state has been able to record laudable and significant investment paid to creating access roads to mining sites, agricultural hubs and other industrial clusters to boost economic activities for increased job creation for the teeming youth population. Private sector investments were also attracted to pave all the State roads and expand existing paved roads where necessary with keen consideration on rural road networks to facilitate easy movement of farm produce.
The completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, the Eastern Bypass in Kaduna, the construction of Kafanchan-Kwoi road and the Mando-Birnin Gwari road had witnessed keen attention by the Uba Sani led administration, as he continue to have robust discussion with the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Nweze David Umahi for speedy completion.
Housing sector, Kaduna apparently has a huge housing deficit and to address this phenomenon, the Government had opened up new layouts across the LGAs of the State and provide the needed infrastructure to encourage the private sector to provide affordable housing for people. The Qatar charity foundation project is on the completion phase and the Federal Government’s Mass Housing Projects in the state had not been loud enough; and private sector investments should be encouraged and considered most notably the 5,000 housing units target annually that is required to bridge the housing deficit in the state.
Moving further, the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure need to have an enhanced leverage, the governor Uba Sani shall be in touch with reality in this critical sector, where young entrepreneurs should be giving more encouragement to tap into e-commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and digital payment systems, enabling them to reach a broader customer base and improve their business viability. The government should also be able to foster more innovation and entrepreneurship in the ICT sector by creating incubation centres, providing seed funding for tech startups, and supporting research and development initiatives. Embracing ICT as an economic enabler not only create employment opportunities but also position Kaduna as a hub for technological innovation and digital transformation.
The above outlined sectors of the economy notwithstanding, the good people of Kaduna state are unanimous in their verdict that the governor Uba Sani led administration has been able to deliver some of its campaign promises in the last one year while hoping and believing that it shall continue to pave the way for a prosperous and inclusive future of all citizens of the state through its upgrade of infrastructure interventions with more focus on power and renewable energy, water, ICT infrastructures and rail infrastructure to resuscitate the locomotive Train service to link some parts of the three senatorial linking Zaria-Kaduna-Sabon Tasha-Kafanchan rail-lines networks as the administration progress.
In conclusion, I see the first year of Gov. Uba Sani in office as promising and fulfilling, courageous, timely and an assurance of hope for the good people of Kaduna State. The first year shows that the good people of Kaduna state are staunch believers in the ability of the Governor to offer the state a sustainable development in the direction of progress and prosperity.
It is my prayers that the government shall continue to understand the important demographic dividends of high potentialities to benefit from its youth bulge. With over 54 per cent of the population aged 15-64 years, the State has large youthful population that are expected to be put to good use rather considering them a liability as a result of being a dependency burden. But to make this a sustainable opportunity, sustainable infrastructure is necessary to be espoused for the youthful population to ensure they are gainfully affianced for productive socio-economic activities.
May the SUSTAIN KADUNA AGENDA under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani administration succeed.
Ishaq MSani, a university lecturer and construction management specialist writes from Abuja. [email protected]
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