February 27, (THEWILL) – Katsina State was created from Kaduna State on September 23, 1987, its capital and main town is Katsina. It borders Kaduna State to the south, Jigawa and Kano States to the east, Zamfara State to the west and the Niger Republic to the north. Katsina State usually records 0mm rainfall from January to March, 1mm, 9mm and 41mm in April, May and June respectively, 85mm, 119mm, 40mm and 8mm for the months of July, August, September and October, while November and December records 0mm rainfall.
The economy of the state depends largely on agriculture, which is the major occupation of the people. Crops produced includes millet, guinea corn, groundnut, cotton, maize, beans, rice, wheat, yam, sugar cane and soya beans. Vegetables, such as tomatoes, onions, lotus and pepper are grown in abundance. The state is said to be the largest producer of cotton in Nigeria. Livestock production is also one of the major occupations of the people and it is in commercial quantity for dairy products and meat. The traditional farming method of ox-driven plough is still practised by some people. Mechanised farming is engaged for large-scale farming. Aside from agriculture, the state is synonymous with craft works, cloth weaving, iron works, pottery and ceramics, leather works, wood, calabash carving and raffia works.
Some of the major industries are Dana Steel formerly Katsina Steel Rolling Company, Saulawa Machines and Fabrication Factory, Hamada Carpets, Funtua Textiles, Shema Industries Dutsin-ma, Funtua Cotton Seeds Crushing Company, Katsina Oil Mill, Funtua Bottling Company, Northern Dairies Funtua, Funtua Burnt Bricks Factory, Kankara Kaolin Processing Company, Funtua Cotton Ginnery, Malumfashi Cotton Ginnery and Katsina Flour Mills.
There are many dams in Katsina State. They include Zobe Dam, Ajiwa Dam, Sabke Dam, Jibia Dam and Mairuwa and Gwagwaye Dams.
Nearly 90 percent of the towns and villages in the state have been connected to the National Grid. At present, there is a Wind Power Generating Project at Marabar Rimi, which is expected to produce 10 megawatts of electricity. The project is the first of its kind in the Federation.
Mineral Resources
Different types of mineral resources abound in many locations across the state, such as gold, uranium, iron ore, nikel, asbestos, kaolin, silica sands, fire clay, lead oxide, manganese and ball clay.
Tourist sites
Emir of Katsina’s Palace, Emir of Daura’s Palace, Kusugu Well, Gobarau Minaret, Katsina City Wall, Jibia Holiday Resort and National Museum, Katsina.
Agriculture and Rural Development
There is a Federal Government intervention to boost the production of hides and skin business as a way of creating jobs. The intervention by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture through the distribution of industrial salt is one of these measures. The state disclosed that there is massive distribution of 2,036 50kg bags of industrial salt worth N35 million donated by the Federal Government to support hides and skins traders in Katsina. This is in consideration of the fact that the state is yet to have a processing plant for the raw material.
The Chairman of the State Union of Hides and Skin Traders, Alhaji Rabiu Abdulkarim Bakori, commended the effort of the Federal Government, urging it to carry out such interventions regularly. He called on the government to establish a hides, skins and leather industry in the state to boost the business in the state.
FACT FILE:
LGA: 34
Land Area: 9,341sqmi
Registered businesses: 77
Public primary schools: 2,360 circa
Public secondary schools: 775 circa
University (3): Federal – 1, state – 1, private – 1
Polytechnic: State – 2
College of Education (3): Federal – 1, State – 1, private – 1
College of Agriculture: 1
Nursing School & Midwifery: State 2
School of Health Technology: State 1
Technical school (7): State – 5, private – 2
College of Legal & General Studies – 1
Total Tax: N11bn @ 2020
IGR: N11.39bn @ 2020 (15.66% of total revenue)
FAAC: N61.39 bn @ 2020 (84.34% of total revenue)
Domestic Debt: N48,03 bn @ 2020
External Debt: $56.17m @ 2020
Unemployment rate: 25.5% @ 2020
Airport: 1
Katsina Embraces Infrastructure to Boost Economy
The Katsina State Government has embarked on various road projects aimed at promoting agriculture towards a better economy and development of the state. The government said it took this measure to raise the standard of living of the people through job creation and attracting investment.
The state government has completed the rehabilitation and construction of 13 roads to ease the transportation of goods, farm produce and livestock to markets in both rural and urban areas.
In addition to township roads and drainages constructed to avert flooding, it has commenced the construction of a N5.8 billion interchange (underpass) projects at Kofar Kaura and Kofar Kwaya. The projects were awarded to Traicta Construction. The Kofar Kaura underpass was awarded at the cost of N3 billion, while that of Kofar Kwaya was at the cost of N2.8 billion.
Speaking during the groundbreaking of the projects, Governor Aminu Masari, said 70 percent of the N5.8 billion had been paid to the contractor handling the project. He said, “The contractor of these two particular projects would have no excuse because already we have paid in advance 70 per cent of the total cost”.
“And we had made adequate provision that if the contractor can perform magic and finish these projects in one day, he will have his remaining money ready for him.
“My appeal to the contractor and the consultant is about quality of work, especially draining water from the roads because it is very important for the roads to last longer and be beneficial to the people of Katsina state.”
He expressed his administration’s determination and commitment to provide all that is needed and indeed, conducive environment for business to thrive in all nook and cranny of the state.
According to him, “Since a good road network is one of such conditions necessary to boost economic activities, the government will not rest on its oars to provide roads linking all our towns and villages.”
The state is reported to have spent over N5 billion for the provision of drainage to tackle erosion within the Katsina metropolitan area.
On its part, the contractor assured the government and people of the state that his company would deliver good quality job on the first Katsina city interchanges and complete the projects on or even before the timeframe of 12 months.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State road projects, which are part of the overall rural and urban development efforts of the state government, is sure to play a significant role in opening the state to promote economic sustainability and intra state transportation as residents good road network.
In addition, Katsina is to generate about 10 megawatts of electricity through its windmill power project established by the Federal Government, which says that adequate measures had been taken to ensure speedy completion of project. The windmill and power substation project will generate about 10 megawatts of electricity. The projection is that the country’s power stock should range between 11,000 t0 25,000 megawatts in the coming years while other options include scaling up the energy mix.
Challenging Factors: Insecurity, communal clashes, closed businesses, poor road networks, multiple taxes.
*** BY SAM DIALA & OLAYEMI SHABA
About the Author
Sam Diala is a Bloomberg Certified Financial Journalist with over a decade of experience in reporting Business and Economy. He is Business Editor at THEWILL Newspaper, and believes that work, not wishes, creates wealth.
