Nasarawa - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Tosin Kolade
Mar, Wed, 2025

Real estate firms partner Nasarawa Govt. to build commercial city in Karshi

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By Patricia Amogu

A real estate development firm, Ama-Davids Nigeria Limited, has announced plans to collaborate with its partners and the Nasarawa State Government to develop a commercial city in Karshi.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Mr Ibrahim Arasah, made this known during a series of courtesy visits to top government officials in the state.

Arasah stated that the commercial city project would create employment opportunities, attract foreign investment, foster a business-friendly environment, and enhance the well-being of the people.

“We commend the great work being done by the Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, particularly in infrastructural development, political stability, and security.

“Ama-Davids Nigeria Limited is deeply committed to improving the well-being of the people, and our projects are designed with this in mind.

“Our initiatives, including the Karshi Central Market, which is currently under consideration by the governor, as well as the automobile city project, have been carefully planned to be people-centric.

“All our projects are aimed at enhancing the lives of the people and ensuring sustainability beyond our generation.

“The Commercial City Standard Market will be the first of its kind in Africa. It will be an expansive business hub, integrating various sectors such as agro-markets, fashion and textiles, furniture showrooms, media, and many other enterprises.

“For over 32 years, we have been active in this field. As knowledge expands and technology evolves, we are continuously enhancing our expertise and development strategies to align with global standards and the 21st-century needs of our people,” he said.

Amb. David Oladeinde, CEO of Diamond House 67 Concept, called Nasarawa State the future of Nigeria, citing its vast mineral resources and immense potential.

“Nasarawa State stands out in many ways, perhaps due to its international exposure.

“The Governor is making significant progress across multiple sectors, and I believe the Nasarawa State of today is vastly different from the past. He is actively improving road infrastructure, security, and overall development.

“Nasarawa State is the future of Nigeria. It has the largest deposits of solid minerals in the country.

“Nigeria has yet to tap even 10 per cent of its solid mineral resources. We have focused too much on oil and gas, yet this year, we have the potential to generate billions of dollars from other resources.

“This project will not only transform Nasarawa State but also have a far-reaching impact at the federal and state levels, as well as across the West African sub-region”.

Dr Victor Abidoye, Chairman and CEO of Vikolu Universal Concept Limited, one of the project’s financiers, remarked that initiatives such as the commercial city project would unlock vast opportunities for Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

According to him, these developments would empower young people to overcome poverty and help reduce the housing deficit in the country.

He urged the government to support the project to provide entrepreneurs in the state with a conducive space to operate.

“A new urban centre is what we are building, and we hope the state government will give us the necessary support,” he added.

In response, Mr Abdullahi Salihu-Ari, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at the Nasarawa Investment and Development Agency (NASIDA), commended the project partners for their efforts and their belief in the state’s potential.

“We recognise that there are 36 states in the country, and these projects could have been taken elsewhere,” he said.

Senior Analyst at NASIDA, Mr Imam Rabiu, stated that the agency was making every effort to ensure the project becomes a reality.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ama-Davids Nigeria Limited is the proponent of the Karshi Central Market/Commercial City, the Automobile City, the Million House Project, and the Karshi Century Park. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Persons with disabilities want political appointments

Philip Daniel Yatai
Mar, Mon, 2025

General News

Persons with disabilities want political appointments

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Blessing Ibegbu

Persons with Disabilities in Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa, have called for recognition and political appointments of members in the area.

Mr Kura Magaji, the Chairman, Persons with Disabilities in Karu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Karu.

He said that appointing Persons with Disabilities in political offices would give them a sense of belonging and bring out the best in them.

“We want the government at the local level to give one of us a political appointment with an office attached.

“By doing so, our voice can be heard, and our complaints addressed to the right office for easy response and task execution,” he said.

Magaji said that having a political representative with a designated office would enable them access their rights and entitlements.

He regretted that Persons with Disabilities could not access a series of palliatives from the government given to Nigerians because there was no substantive office or someone to speak for them.

“If we had a representative or advisory office, we would have been duly attended to, or know where to channel our grievances when necessary.”

Magaji also expressed displeasure at how people see and address them most times.

He lamented that Persons with Disabilities still faced stigmatization in society in spite of being responsible and human.

He noted that discrimination had been a major challenge they faced as people tended to misunderstand them whenever they approached fellow citizens.

“Most people still see Persons with Disabilities as not equals, and persons who cannot measure up in our society; this is not right and it is unacceptable.

“There is this misconception that whenever a person with disability approaches someone, it is either to ask for help or for alms; it is a very wrong impression.

“Persons with Disabilities also have careers, work and engage in businesses, and we have farmers and traders among us,” he added.

The chairman told NAN that the group in Karu can boast of 735 registered active members who meet on monthly basis during their congresses.

He commended the present Chairman of Karu Local Government Council, Mr Aliyu Madaki, for his support to their members.

He urged the chairman to ensure that Persons with Disabilities had at least an appointee as one of his advisers.

Magaji said the Federal Government had introduced a new appointment structure for local government administration under the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

He appealed to the government to look into the appointment structure and consider them. (NAN)

Edited by Ijendu Iheaka and Emmanuel Afonne

Institute trains youths in leather processing, production

Ismail Abdulaziz
Oct, Sun, 2024

General News

Institute trains youths in leather processing, production

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By Abdul Hassan

The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) has trained more than 1,000 youths from three states in leather processing and production.

The Director-General of the institute, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Yakubu said that the beneficiaries were from Nasarawa, Sokoto and Borno states.

He said that the collaboration with the Nasarawa government involved the setting up of a school, and training of 750 people to acquire skills in the processing of leather products over the next five years.

“We are going to have a school in Doma. The target is to train 750 skilled artisans in the area of leather and leather products.

“The state government will provide the building, equipment and funding for us to run a skill acquisition programme for roughly 150 people in the state every year over the next five years.

“We have already signed the agreement, and we are in the process of purchasing the equipment, and before the end of the year, we are going to start the project in earnest,” he said.

The director-general also said that the institute and the Borno government had agreed to set up a centre and tannery in the state.

“We visited the state and the governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, graciously accepted to build our centre there to be a cluster for other states around Borno.

“We already have a tannery, and Zulum is going to provide the equipment needed and expand our workshop there.

“It is to train their youths displaced by years of conflict. We are going to expand our activities in Maiduguri, and the governor has pledged to give housing accommodation for our staff.

“We are really happy with the level of commitment shown by Zulum, he has really shown interest in our activities, and he is willing to support us,” he said.

Yakubu said that the project would support the healing process and proper resettlement of displaced persons in Borno State.

“It is important to provide skills to internally displaced persons so that they can take back their lives and have a means of livelihood.

“We visited one of the IDP camps in Maiduguri, we saw what they were doing in terms of different trades, and I believe we can do much better work for those interested in acquiring skills in leather works.

“The governor has seen reason behind that and is ready to collaborate,” he said.

For Sokoto State, the director-general said that NILES would also train 500 youths over the next six months to acquire skills in making leather products.

He said that this followed the successful training of 100 people sponsored earlier by the state government.

“When the new governor of Sokoto State wanted to showcase his first 100 days achievements, NILES featured prominently there because we trained 100 indigenes of the state for about one month.

“What they were able to produce in one month impressed the governor and he asked us to train another set of about 500 within the next six months.

“He has seen what we can do and how those trained were kept busy. He wants to make Sokoto another Ariaria within a very short time,” he said.

He said that the institute had been collaborating with educational institutions within and outside the country in various aspects.

“We have collaboration with the Institute of Leather in Portugal; we paid a visit to them three months ago. We also have collaboration with the leather institute in Chennai, India, which was established a hundred years ago.

“We want to run an exchange programme with them so that our staff can go there for their Msc. and PhD.

“We are also collaborating with Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.

“We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for exchange of staff, training, research and development in all areas we are involved in. This will boost our research portfolio,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman