Katsina can produce food for export#Nigeria

Katsina State has set up export processing centres
for the products in which it has comparative
advantage. In this interview with journalists, the
state commissioner for commerce and industry,
Honourable Abdulmumini Abdullahi, said the
state is set to reap bountiful harvest from the
initiative. KAZEEM AKINTUNDE was there for
LEADERSHIP Sunday
The impression the ordinary man out there has is
that commerce and industry is not a priority of
the Ibrahim Shema administration in Katsina
State, and that that is the reason not much has
been achieved in this key sector. What is your
response on that?
Nothing can be farther from the truth. This is a
sector into which billions has gone to underscore
the fact that it is a major priority of the
administration. The government also established
52 cottage industries, utilising the vast mineral
deposits in the state. These are made up of 28
paint cottage industries and 20 chalk cottage
industries set up at the total cost of N135.79
million. A total of 555 youths were trained to
work in the industries; 332 youths are engaged at
the paint cottage industries while 223 youths
work in the chalk cottage industries.
On commerce, four fertilizer blending plants have
been constructed at Batsari, Maiadua Safana and
Bakori at the cost of N117.96 million (including
equipment, laboratory facility, logistic and the
training of 100 staff). Government also disbursed
N100 million interest- free loans to about 6,000
traders and artisans under the Small Trades
Special Credit Scheme. It is distributing N106
million under the Youth Entrepreneurship and
Small and Medium Enterprises Loan Schemes. A
total of 3,218 artisans and SMEs are to benefit.
A census of SMEs in 28 trades was conducted in
selected areas of the three senatorial districts and
a total of 11,229 of such enterprises were
registered under the first phase: 2,835 in Daura,
4,377 in Katsina and 4,017 in Funtua senatorial
zones. The census was meant to guide the
government in planning intervention portfolios
for the SMEs.
The state government has spoken so much
about giant strides in the area of human capital
development but which critics say is a fluke.
What is the situation really?
It is unfair to say the Shema administration's
achievements in human capital development are
a fluke. The facts speak for themselves. N96.05
million was spent by government to train 50
youths on high tech welding at the Nigeria Naval
Engineering Training College, Sapele. More than
N301 million was spent on the construction and
equipping of Youth Craft Village in Katsina. The
centre offers training in 16 different trades and
train 2,000 youths annually.