By Usman Muhammed Zaria
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in addressing erosion, restore services on the Kano–Nguru railway line and review import tariffs on wheat and rice to protect local farmers.
He made the appeal during President Tinubu’s official visit to Jigawa State, where the President commissioned projects executed by the state government and attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally at Dutse Township Stadium.
Governor Namadi said the scale of erosion in several communities had exceeded the capacity of the state government, despite its efforts to address the problem.
He identified Hadejia, Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram as among the worst-affected areas requiring urgent federal intervention.
The governor also appealed for the restoration of passenger and freight services on the historic Kano–Nguru railway line, describing the corridor as economically important to Kano, Jigawa and Yobe states.
On agriculture, he called for a review of import tariff policies, particularly on wheat and rice, to strengthen local production and protect farmers from unfair competition.
Governor Namadi commended the Federal Government for supporting development projects in Jigawa, including the Greater Dutse Water Supply Project, which he said was over 60 per cent complete.
He also acknowledged federal interventions in agriculture, education, infrastructure and social protection, disclosing that 192,000 residents of Jigawa had benefited from federal cash transfers, with 14.36 billion naira disbursed between 2024 and the time of the address.
The governor listed the ongoing Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project, the Gaya–Shuwarin–Azare and Kano–Gumel–Hadejia federal roads, as well as the establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture in Kirikasamma and the Federal College of Education in Birniwa, among federal initiatives supporting development in the state.
Earlier, President Tinubu commissioned the Renewed Hope Technical Services Fabrication Centre, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-Purpose Skill Acquisition Centre and the dualised Garu Road.
The state government also launched 400 tractors and other agricultural implements.
Namadi said the projects reflected the alignment between the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Jigawa’s 12-Point Agenda, aimed at improving productivity, creating opportunities and enhancing the living standards of residents.
He reaffirmed the state government’s support for the Federal Government’s development agenda and expressed the hope that continued collaboration would accelerate development in Jigawa and Nigeria.
Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
