By Salisu Sani-Idris
Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State has given an insight into how his administration has been transforming institutions and strengthening Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state over the last two years.
Radda, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Katsina, said his administration had established a N5.5 billion MSMEs Fund through the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA).
The governor explained that the fund was dedicated to providing training, funding and creating a digital database for MSMEs and skills in the state.
Radda said: “I have been driving MSMEs for this country for the last six years. That has opened my eyes very well on the importance of MSMEs.
“You know they contribute over 49 per cent of the nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of this country.
“They are the engine of growth; they provide over 80 per cent of jobs in this country.
“So, you don’t have any means or way to create jobs than through MSMEs development.
“If you improve MSMEs, naturally you are improving the living standard of the people because you are increasing their income, life expectancy, reducing malnutrition, poverty and increasing wealth generation.”
The governor said that the state was now lucky as the young people in the state have embraced MSMEs due to the use of innovation and technology.
Radda continued, “A lot of them came with talent in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and about 80 per cent of them are mostly young women. With little support, little push, they can be big businesses.
“This is our target. Instead of young men moving about with a very beautiful Curriculum Vitae looking for jobs that never exist.”
He also said that his administration had upgraded the Katsina Youths Craft Village with a N5billion investment, implementing a five-year strategic plan, and set up common facility centres.
Similarly, he said that his administration was also focusing on institutional transformation through infrastructure development, renewable energy projects, and partnerships to boost the state’s economy and create jobs.
“Before we get into the office, we have made our priorities very clear and we didn’t hesitate to pursue those priorities to make sure that we have done what the people asked us to do or what we have promised them.
“What we are doing entirely, we are trying to transform the system because we made a system that needs to be clean and also needs to be sensitive and also transform.
“We combined the two together because you have to look at the institutions because without reforming the institutions we cannot be able to reform physically.
“Then you have to change the mindset of people on the way they are used to doing things and to the very approach your administration came with. That is the success story behind all we have done,” he said.
Radda also said that his administration, in partnership with the UNDP, supported some local governments with a grant of about N542million to tackle the challenges of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
