UNFPA  partners  Kaduna to deliver demographic dividend to state

Kaduna launches state development plan

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has pledged to partner with and support the Kaduna State government to deliver demographic dividend to the state.

Some of the areas identified by both parties were investing in economic and governance policies, investing in quality education, investing in  family planning, investing in health care, among others.

Speaking at a meeting with a delegation from the UNFPA led by its Executive Director, Babatunde Osotimehin, yesterday, Governor of the state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, stressed that the state had been positioned to reap demographic dividend.

He stressed: “The mandate areas of the UNFPA are especially germane for us in Kaduna State. We are the third largest state in Nigeria, behind Lagos and Kano. But we are not the third biggest economic dynamos in Nigeria, a situation that we are trying to address through the clear objectives outlined in our State Development Plan, 2016-2020. The State Development Plan commits our government to creating the conditions that can attract private sector investments of up to N800 billion to enable Kaduna State attain its economic potentials. Our SDP takes into account the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our State Executive Council has declared a data revolution to provide the critical indicators for monitoring progress in accomplishing the SDGs.

“Our state is vast in land mass, with a significant proportion of it arable and well-watered. While Kaduna State is already a major food producer, there is an opportunity to make a giant leap into becoming a significant agribusiness hub that combines highly productive agriculture with sophisticated marketing and agro-processing capacity.”

Apart from agriculture, he said Kaduna State also has proven mineral reserves that can enhance its economic prospects.