Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has initiated several projects in Jigawa state to address hunger and economic hardship in Nigeria.
These projects include the training of 1,000 youth in Artificial Intelligence (AI), the implementation of a 20,000-hectare sprinkler-based solar-powered irrigation scheme, and the establishment of a Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) clinic. The aim of these initiatives is to boost job creation and eradicate poverty.
During his one-day official visit to Jigawa state, the Vice President inaugurated various programs. This included the commissioning of a 100 KVA solar-energy power supply system to ensure stable electricity for small-scale enterprises at Dutse Markets. Additionally, he distributed motorcycles to 1,450 agricultural extension workers and provided agricultural inputs to rural farmers.
In his speech, Senator Kashim Shettima highlighted that the Renewal Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu focuses on poverty eradication and job creation. The agenda aims to encourage and support medium and small-scale businesses, which account for over 65 percent of investments and employ 83 percent of the labor force in Nigeria. The Vice President praised Jigawa state governor, Malam Umar Namadi, for his efforts in creating employment opportunities and promoting sustainable livelihoods.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi emphasized that the projects commissioned by the Vice President have the potential to contribute significantly to economic diversification, food security, employment generation, and overall socioeconomic growth. He commended the federal government’s Expanded National MSME Clinics, which aim to develop Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises and lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty. The governor expressed his delight in aligning Jigawa state’s 12-point Agenda for Greater Jigawa with the federal government’s Renewal Hope agenda.
During the visit, the Vice President was accompanied by the governors of Kebbi and Kaduna states, as well as the deputy governors of Katsina and Sokoto states, among others.
