fewer than 79 local miners to acquire modern skills to
takeover several Federal Government mining sites in the
state.
Malam Imam Imam, the Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu
Tambuwal on Media and Public Relations, made the
disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Sokoto.
Imam said the gesture was to boost solid mineral
potential of the state, adding it was one area that had
received the state government’s attention and focus for
development.
Imam said beneficiaries were expected to also train
others in the mining communities, stressing that the idea
was to key into Federal Government’s agenda on
diversification of the economy and to boost employment
opportunity among youths.
The governor’s aide said the initiative had started having
positive impacts on the lives of people of the state.
He said that the state government was partnering with
Raw Material Research and Development Council, Federal
Ministry of Solid Minerals and Federal Ministry of
Environment as well as other stakeholders to drive the
project.
He explained that the state government, in addition had
designed series of empowerment programmes for women
and youths as part of its efforts to making them become
self reliant and productive in the society.
Imam said such training was either organised directly by
government’s ministries and agencies in collaboration
with Industrial Training Funds (ITF), National Directorate
of Employment (NDE) and other stakeholders with similar
mandates.
According to him, Sokoto State Small and Medium Scale
Enterprises Development Agency (SOSEDAN) is vigorously
facilitating the growth of various entrepreneurs through
coordination of its activities, access to funds, markets
and management at different levels in the state.
On agriculture, Imam said the state government was
partnering with the Dangote group to boost rice
cultivation through anchor borrower scheme.
The governor’s aide said that 500 hectares of land were
cultivated this year.
He expressed optimism that the farmland would be
expanded to about 2,000 hectares next year flowing from
this year’s farming season huge success.
He noted that the dry season rice farming was successful
in the state as government provided nets against `quela
birds among other incentives.
He said the Rabah farm named: “Sokoto Cattle Breeding,
Dairy and Beef Processing Project’’ was established by the
state government and equipped with modern tools and
machines while foreign professionals were invited to train
indigenous managers.
Imam said state government facilitated the establishment
of the state commodity board in which harvested farm
produce were being purchased from farmers at
appreciable prices to prevent loss due to market
fluctuations.
According to him, such commodities are being released
to markets for public consumption as the need arises, to
prevent hoarding, which usually results in price
manipulation and artificial scarcity.
“Government also facilitates the establishment of textile
and fertiliser companies through public partnership
initiative where government invested percentage to
argument farmers efforts, increased internal generated
revenues and employment opportunities in the state.
“The government had facilitated the establishment of
smaller rice mills and other agro-allied processing
company at various locations to complement productions
and markets,” Imam said.
He said that a working committee was inaugurated to
facilitate and coordinate all the agricultural projects in the
state. (NAN)
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