I am delighted to report that amidst our challenges, investors continue to recognise and respond to our clear commitment to partner with the private sector to create the jobs that will help us reduce poverty and accelerate the development of Kaduna State.

Today, the Kaduna State Government, together with our investment partners, took three major steps forward in developing the state.

On behalf of KDSG, we signed an MoU with Persinas to bring the Shoprite brand as the anchor retail tenant at the new Galaxy Mall.

Arla is our partner in developing the Damau Milk Farm project, an initiative to sedentarise 1000 nomadic herders and their families in a determined effort to transform livestock production along commercial lines. This project seeks to solve a security problem and chart a safer and more productive way to raise livestock, devoid of persistent farmer- herder clashes.

The Damau project has progressed well since Arla and KDSG performed the groundbreaking on 17 January 2020. Both parties today signed the service level agreement that unlocks further investment from Arla.

The third investment project we advanced today is the development of the Green Economic Zone (GEZ) located in the Maraban Jos axis. We performed the groundbreaking ceremony to develop infrastructure in the GEZ to enable firms in the light manufacturing sector to establish their facilities there. On 1 June 2021, KDSG and KK Kingdom signed an MoU for a public private partnership to develop the Green Economic Zone.

The Kaduna State Government is grateful for the confidence its private sector partners continue to demonstrate in the potentials of our state and our commitment to actualise those potentials in the interest of the progress and welfare of our people.