MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Hon. Commissioner Yohanna Bako Chindo

In its bid to promote industrial growth in the state, the present administration using this sector, had already spent the sum of N23 million to offset liabilities on Kachia Food Company Limited and the procurement of essential spare parts to enable the company go into full production.  Negotiations have also reached advanced staged between Government and Interested Private Organization as reactivation of Ikara Food processing Company.  Government under this sector inaugurated the board of Directors of the Nigerian Dairies with the mandate to source for money as working capital to expand the scope of its production capacity.

Outstanding liabilities owed contractors on the various projects executed in the Ten (10) existing Business Apprenticeship Training Centers (BATCS) including the establishment of two (2) new ones amounting to N4. 4million have been paid amounting to N385,680.00 have been paid by Government.

Through this sector Government has successfully participated in inter-state commercial activities, the Abuja National Trade fair and the 22^nd Kaduna International Trade Fair held in February, 2002 where all the 23 Local Government Councils Fully Participated.

In compliance with the state Government’s Internal Revenue Generation for sustainable development, this registration of Business Premises in collaboration with the Board of Internal Revenue.  Similarly, through recommendations for the issuance of statutory Right of Occupancy for viable commercial Projects, the sector also realized for Government the sum of N50,000.00 from these shopping centers located in Zaria, Brinin-Gwari, Samaru, Kachia, Makarfi, Zonkwa and Kafanchan, the sector realized N90,000.00 from these shopping centers as profits.  The rehabilitation of the General Hassan Usman Kastina Partk (Gamji Gate) at the cost of N6million has made the sector realize as revenue for Government the sum of N2 million so far.

Local Sourcing of Raw Materials: Some cultivated crops require special mention for their potentials as sources of raw materials in some localities of the state. Sugar cane, grown in the flat fadamas, has been discussed. Its production is still in small individual farmers' plots of 1 hectare along the Galma and Tubo valleys.

There are two varieties, the white and brown. However, the brown variety has gained more popularity recently because it gives higher yield per hectare. On aver age, an individual farmer harvests 1215 tonnes of the cane per year which sells for between N10,000.00 and N15,000.00.

Apart from its use as a refreshment among the local people, some quantity is being used for making local candy ("Alawa" in Hausa) and brown sugar ("MazarKwoila" in Hausa) in Makarfi and lkara LGAs in the Galma river sys tem. Ginger, a spicy rhizome plant grown in the local government areas south of latitude 10°00'N, was a major national export up till the onset of heavy petroleum exportation in the mid 1960s.

High production from the state made Nigeria a world producer of ginger since the 1930s. Although export has declined, production in large tonnage has not abated. A market survey carried out in Kwoi district, a major producing area, estimates that up to 460 tonnes are produced annually in Jaba LGA alone.

Another agricultural commodity that is already an industrial raw material is tobacco leaf, grown mainly in Soba LGA since the 1930s. The success of a tobacco pilot farm project at Maigana, gave the district the lead in becoming a major national tobacco producing area with a curing centre. A training school was established for local farmers in 1986 and is located at Tashar Iche for Fifteen -thirty students at any one time/season. Besides, a factory with current labour force of over 3,500 is located in Zaria. The company manufactures several brands of cigarettes running into several million sticks annually. Cotton is also an important agricultural product that has high development potentialities.

The trial of a crossbreed of the local variety, the Gossypium hirsutum and the 26J (N.A) at Zaria during the first decade of the last century, gave Kaduna State a long history of its production. By the mid1930s, cotton production from northern Nigeria, mainly centred in Zaria, increased and now produced over 98 percent of the total cotton lint demands. With the establishment of ginneries, the Cotton Agricultural Processing Company (former BCGA), cotton seed is processed for oil and livestock feeds.

However, as yet, there are only two textile manufacturing industries in Zaria (Tarpaulin Manufacturing). Certainly, the establishment of other light textile industries or cotton yarn will further stimulate cotton production in Soba, Igabi, Giwa and Zaria LGAs.

Economic Climate: With each of the six successive administrations since the early 1960s, the economic climate of the country, and that of Kaduna State in particular, got worse. However, gradual political reorganisation and a return to democratic rule have been calming the stormy economic climate. Also, all the three tiers of government (LGAs, State and Federal), have adopted the policy of pursuing vigorous diversification of the economy. Thus, efforts are now being made to ensure healthy economic environment through peaceful social and political co-existence within and between States. Specifically, Kaduna State has instituted agencies to cater for the interests of local, national and foreign entrepreneurs/ industrialists.

Mainly, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry arm of the State Government is now charged with the responsibility of maintaining a good economic climate. In order to promote industrial/commercial enterprises, the State Government has put in place several infra structural facilities.

For example, in Kaduna and Zaria, up to seven and four industrial estates, respectively, have been laid out and provided with access roads, water and power. Other incentives include pioneer status scheme for newly established industries in order to survive the initial capital outlay and other related problems.

Governor Arch Mohammed Namadi Sambo is a true democrat, whose approach to problems is always humane and conciliatory he is a man of peace who patiently looked to the future with courage and hope. His commitment in the direction of transforming the state into a relatively better integrated and functional polity is continuing  with a mission  to create a stable  and cohesive polity capable of securing effectively the interests of the various communities and giving them the opportunity to develop and live in peace  with one another.

» STATE MINISTRIES