The Katsina State Government has clarified its position on a 3,750-agro-housing project, reported to cost over N155 billion and to be constructed in two local government areas of the state.

The clarification comes after reports indicated that the funds for the project would come from government coffers. The state government has dismissed the notion.

Speaking with newsmen on Friday, the state Head of Service, Falalu Bawale, said the state government was not financing the project, but was only providing land for its execution.

Bawala said the project was conceived by Spire USA Inc and COSMOS Residential City Nigeria Limited, with support from the federal government through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

He said the project is a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) agreement for 2,500 agro-housing units to be constructed in the Kankia council area at a cost of over N155 billion.

He said 1,250 units would be constructed at Radda in the Charanchi council area, with 85 billion expected to be spent, bringing the total to more than N240 billion.

He said the project, to be executed over 16 months to two years, will combine modern housing with backyard fish farming and vegetable gardens in every home, creating sustainable livelihoods for beneficiaries and boosting local and export-oriented food production.

Bawala added that the government has since allocated land for the project in Kankia and Radda and would also identify unemployed youths and low-income households, including those without formal Western education but with practical farming and vocational skills, as beneficiaries.

He said beneficiaries are expected to earn up to ₦200,000 monthly, with a compulsory savings component of between ₦50,000 and ₦70,000 to gradually offset investors’ costs, after which the houses and farms will become their personal property within 3 to 5 years.

The Managing Director of COSMOS Residential City Nigeria Limited, Murtala Ibrahim, said the project is being implemented in partnership with SuperEye USA Corporation and assured that local contractors, artisans and suppliers in Kankia and Radda would be given priority.

Sani said the scheme would later be expanded to Katsina, Daura and Funtua council areas in the second phase, even as he called for the support and cooperation of stakeholders to ensure its successful implementation.