By Abdullahi Shuaibu, Lafia.
The United Kingdom ( UK) is to partner the Nasarawa state government in the areas of Agriculture,mining and the infrastructural development of the state. The British High Commissioner in Nigeria,catrio Laing who disclosed this when she paid a courtesy call on Governor Abdullahi Sule at the government house Lafia also said the transformation achieved by the state in the areas of Agriculture,was a very important to the UK government.saying “they were ready to use their expertise to partner with the state government for the growth and development of the state.” There’s also a good potential for mining in Nasarawa state, the state government has a very unique posture and comparative advantage especially with its proximity to Abuja, the federal capital Territory.( FCT) ” Getting the place, the rightful enabling environment and how quickly Nasarawa state jumped through the ranks to number three in investment flow in the country is quite amazing, therefore,we would look for areas to partner with Nasarawa state”. Responding, Governor Abdullahi Sule noted that the state had developed a public private partnership ( PPP) forum which has been a véritable tool to Foster private sector investment in the state.” The state secured radical projects in education, transportation, health,mining and Agriculture,. We have also established the Nasarawa state insfrastructural fund where 5% of our Internally generated revenue ( IGR) would be dedicated mainly for insfrastructural development. We have also established necessary steps including working with the United Kingdom ( UK) consortium to prepare a detailed feasibility study to meet with the requirements of the African Development Bank (ADB) on Special agro-industral processing zone which we are developing in karu local government Area.of the state close to the federal capital Territory ( FCT). The Governor said the state was committed to developing the Agricultural sector through mechanised farming.saying ” Very soon the state would become a major producer of rice and sugar in Africa. He welcomed the collaboration idea between the United Kingdom and the state and expressed optimum that the partnership would bring more development to the state.*. Speaking earlier, Managing Director, Nasarawa state Investment Development Agency NASIDA) Barr. Ibrahim Abdullahi said the state was experiencing an increase in its investment and was ranked amongst the three investment states in Nigeria. He said the development of the Nasarawa state economic development Strategies ( NEDS) under Governor Abdullahi Sule has improved transperancy in governance.encouraging more donors partnership geared towards the economic transformation of the state.
Nasarawa Reporters 