Kaduna State Government has begun a megacity with a housing project to benefit 500,000 poor and vulnerable citizens in the state.
The Economic City project will be built in conjunction with Qatar Construction Company, under the Qatari-owned Sanabil Project.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna commended the Embassy of Qatar and Sanabil Project for keying into “the business-friendly environment” in the state and choosing Kaduna as location of its Mega Economic City and Mass Housing Project for the vulnerable.
In his remarks during the ground-breaking ceremony at Millennium City, the governor detailed the objectives of the partnership between KDSG and Qatar.
He said: “The Economic City will provide world-class infrastructure and make Kaduna a reference point in modern and affordable accommodation with adequate security and conducive atmosphere for business. It will facilitate international trade, while serving as a platform for local entrepreneurs and traders. It will also harness product value chain opportunities and improve economic growth.
“In the Economic City, there will be houses for the poor, clinics, shops, poultry farms, farmlands for the rainy season and irrigation farming.”
Governor Sani added that the project was a major contribution towards providing shelter for the poor, underserved and vulnerable in Kaduna, as it supports KDSG’s interventions in the housing sector over the years.
Sani stressed: “The choice of Kaduna for such a mega project is an indication that this administration’s drive for investments is yielding results. Our vision is to make Kaduna the economic hub of the North. We want to create a business cluster that will drive competition in the Northern region. Kaduna is rich in natural and human resources. It is the gateway to many parts of Nigeria.
“It is a transportation hub. The immediate past government worked assiduously to upgrade the infrastructure in the state. We are determined to build on that legacy to fast track the economic development of the state.”
While commending the governor for his support and cooperation towards the success of the Qatar Sanabil Project in Kaduna, Qatar Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri, pointed out that the Qatari Charity had also pledged various interventions and empowerment programmes for Kaduna’s poor and underserved.
He added: “These include scholarships for orphans and children of the poor, distribution of sewing machines, welding machines, irrigation pumping machines, salon kits and drilling of hundreds of boreholes across the 23 local councils.”
The Qatar Sanabil Project is a multi-million dollar scheme that will impact positively on the lives of over 500,000 poor, underserved and vulnerable citizens of Kaduna.
“Kaduna will continue to provide the Qatar Charity and other interested genuine investors the support they need to complete all projects,” Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Muhammad Shehu, stated, yesterday.
