Johnson Adebowale
Sokoto Government has unveiled plans to utilise the loan of N65.7 billion it would raise to embark on massive infrastructural projects and investment in critical projects in agriculture, health, housing, urban renewal projects, construction of roads and bridges as well as education.
Unveiling the economic development plan at the management retreat of Sokoto State Ministry of Finance held at the weekend in Lagos, Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, said this would be achieved through a multi-faceted approach.
Dasuki, said the state government was embarking on the massive infrastructure development to make Sokoto an investment destination.
He said the proposed N65.7 billion loan earmarked for critical projects in agriculture, health, housing, water resources and education, would fast track the economic transformation of the state and position Sokoto as a leading economy in Nigeria and Africa. Noting that central to the objectives of the Governor Tambuwal administration are human capital development, remodeling of the state into an investment destination, and establishment of enduring socio-economic infrastructure and institutions, the commissioner stated that the efforts of the government were already yielding fruits.
“Our efforts to transform the economy by making the environment private sector driven are already yielding many fruits among which include the attraction of the biggest fertilizer blending company in the world to Sokoto and the biggest rice mill by Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
“In addition, we are advancing the ease of doing business in the state by making it easier for established business to scale and enabling new ones to spring up,” Dasuki said.
He said this would in turn translate to empowering families in the state and the effects would trickle down to everyone.
“We have witnessed rapid growth of business enterprises as more organisations now have the capacity to meet more market needs, resulting in increased revenue and a more prosperous economy,” he said.
Dasuki also said Governor Tambuwal administration had reformed the Payroll Systems which had removed ghost workers and helped Sokoto to implement the new minimum wage of N30,000 for workers in the civil service.