AfDB hinges support for states on fiscal discipline

State governments have been advised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to key into best practices in public finance management.

Citing Kaduna State government as example of compliance to governance principle, AfDB officials said the regional development bank will continue to give grants to Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of the bank’s yearly Economic Outlook 2016, in Zaria, Kaduna State, the AfDB Country Director in Nigeria, Dr. Ousmane Dore, said the bank will be rolling out a youth empowerment programme in the 36 states of the federation this year.

Already, the bank’s official said Kaduna has all the requisite ingredients to be among the first set of states to benefit.

Dore explained that the project is being targeted at the youths, especially graduates who are going to be trained in agriculture.

“Basically, we will train them in business arrangements so that they can put their plan together, we give them the necessary skills.

“In Kaduna State we have $100 million project in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank and the CBN to deliver the water project.

“Soon after his election, Governor Nasir El -Rufai reached out to AfDB to see what we can do beyond the Zaria water project. We also have in Kaduna State the school project, vocational training schools in two areas of Kaduna, one is in the way to Abuja for nomadic students. The project is still going on and it is a major project,” he said.

Dore added: “We also hope to assist Kaduna State in the reforms programme of the current administration, this is a state that we believe can show good example in the federation because of the effort put in place in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and one of the state that have introduced Treasury Single Account (TSA) and with a lot of reforms ongoing, we believe a lot of reforms are ongoing in the Public finance side.

“This year we intend to roll out a youth empowerment programme in the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory and we want to start with some states, because it is not going to be a one shot programme, we want to start with states that are ready and we believe Kaduna State has all the requisite to be among the first states to benefit from this 300 million dollars programme.

“The project is in partnership with the state and federal government and their counterparts is to provide land, so they get the funding and the land and they are ready to go. I can assure you that what I have seen in Kaduna is the best practices that other states can emulate.

“We incubate them into existing farms and agriculture business and once they go through that incubation period, we then propose it and give them the funds. That has been the missing link, how do you train them and send them out without funds, you need to give them money so that they can set up the farm,” Dore added.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Matters, Murtala Dabo, said that the state has been partnering with AfDB on many projects mainly in the area of water and education.

Dabo explained that the launch of the outlook is a sign of the partnership and the confidence that AfDB has in the current administration in the state.