President Goodluck Jonathan has made it clear once again that he will not, under any circumstance, permit any threat to peace and security in whatever form in any part of Nigeria.
The President who commissioned the new governor’s Office in the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna today said that his government is committed to working with Kaduna state government to ensuring the protection of the lives and property of the entire people of the State, “and indeed all Nigerians.”
President Jonathan was delighted with what he called ‘the prevailing peace and security’ in the State, adding: “we can achieve much more if we continue to sustain the peace and work in unity in the interest of our people. “The sustenance of the prevailing peace is necessary to accelerate economic growth and prosperity. Let me again appreciate the Government and good people of Kaduna State for working hard to make this happen.”
He reminded the people that the prime purpose of politics is to engender sustained growth and development even as he commend Governor Yero for his dedication and commitment to improving the lives and livelihood of the people of Kaduna State.
“By completing this and many similar projects, he has sufficiently demonstrated his belief in continuity, which is imperative for sustainable growth and development.
“This historic edifice stands as a befitting tribute to the historic place of Kaduna as the traditional Capital of the old Northern Region of Nigeria. This is a major legacy project which successive administrations in the decades ahead will appreciate.”
Jonathan counted the number of progress that has been made by his government in the provision of critical infrastructure which he said is the centerpiece of his Transformation Agenda.
“For this reason, we have initiated and executed various developmental projects across the length and breadth of our nation; Kaduna State is a major beneficiary in this regard.
“As you may be aware, our administration is on the verge of completing the Abuja-Kaduna standard-gauge fast rail line – the first of its kind in the country. Our ultimate goal is to make it easier to traverse Nigeria and increase the integration of our people and our ability to do business with each other.
“In the last three and half years, we have also completed several road projects in this great State including the reconstruction of the Vom-Manchok Road, the rehabilitation of the Access Road to Kaduna Refinery and the rehabilitation of the Mararaba-Pambeguwa-Saminaka Road to mention just a few.
“Kaduna State has also benefitted immensely from the national reforms and attendant overhaul in the power sector. The construction of a 215 megawatts thermal power plant at Kudenda and distribution projects like the 330kv Kaduna-Zaria-Kano line, and the 132kv Jos-Kafanchan-Funtua-Malumfashi-Katsina Transmission lines among others.
“We are largely agrarian people and our focus in the Agriculture and Water Resources sector, has seen us completing the Galma Dam at Kuzuntu, as well as the Gurara Dam. It is pertinent to note that these major multipurpose dams have dual capacity for power generation, as well as irrigation for our farmers.”
The President said that agriculture has received high priority under his administration because it recognizes the sector as its new frontier for growth.
“Our Agricultural Transformation Agenda, which I launched in 2011, has the primary objective of unlocking the huge potentials of the agricultural sector and making it the main driver of our national economy – the way it was before we discovered oil.
“As we witness, for instance, high yields in rice, corn, sorghum, pepper, tomatoes and other crops, we can confidently attribute this to the elimination of corruption in fertilizer distribution as ordinary farmers in our country now have a direct access to fertilizers and input through the e-wallet system. I am glad that the Kaduna State Government has keyed in to the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.” myad]
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