*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN attends the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADINVEST 6.0) & commissions the Kasuwan Magani Market, Power Solar Plant in Kajuru local government, Kaduna state. 23rd Sept, 2021. Photos; Tolani Alli

*Says VP Has Deep Social Conscience

This week in Kaduna, a major event that gripped the headlines was the 6th edition of the state’s Investment and Economic Summit. Governor Nasir El-Rufai hosted the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who commissioned the Kasuwan Magani market and the 100-kilowatt solar PV Mini-Grid in Kajuru.

The completed Kasuwan Magani market in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna is one of 17 of such being built by the Kaduna State Government under the leadership of El-Rufai. Locals say modernizing the market would boost trade and create peace in the region.

As part of the Economic Summit, Channels TV interviewed the Governor who acknowledged the role played by the august guest, Osinbajo, in the economic synergy between the Federal and state governments. That is, as Chairman, National Economic Council.  According to El-Rufai: “We have the federal (government) and states and there would be need of coordination of policies and maintaining consistency in policies. And we discuss many of those and we resolve them because the vice president has provided excellent leadership that even opposition party governors commend him for that.”

The Governor went further to eulogise the “founding fathers” for creating the National Economic Council, “with the vice president as chairman and all the governors and CBN governor as members.”

So, when Osinbajo landed in Kaduna for the Economic Summit, he was not like fish out of water; he was on familiar turf. Speaking at the commissioning of Kasuwan Magani and the 100-kilowatt solar PV Mini-Grid in Kajuru, Mallam El-Rufai furthered praised Professor Osinbajo and thanked him for “taking time to come here to commission this project.”

El-Rufai added: “This community is probably seeing a helicopter for the first time. This community is seeing the vice president for the first time and we are seeing their excitement.”

The Governor went further that Osinbajo, is a man of deep social conscience, bridge builder and a leader that has the interest of ordinary Nigerians at heart, qualities that have endeared him to many.

According to the governor, “we waited eight months after the completion of this market because we wanted you to commission this market. We insisted on you for several reasons, Your Excellency.

“The first is that you are a man of deep social conscience. You care deeply about poor people and you care about giving them opportunities to prosper economically. This is one of the reasons why we felt that you are the one that will commission this market.”

El-Rufai added that “the second reason, sir, is that you are bridge builder. You are a pastor who is friends with Imams and emirs. You are a professor who can speak the language of ordinary people.

“You are a lawyer who pursues justice, not a technicality. You care for people, you care for Nigerians and you care for unity in diversity. You care about stopping differences in religion and ethnicity, and you always promote peaceful coexistence.

“This community, your excellency, needs an apostle like you to preach unity and peaceful coexistence. No one is more qualified to commission this market in this community at this time than Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.”

The governor then went on to explain some of the policies that could help improve the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, citing how Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote backed off from investing in the state because of the federal government policy that would not make for competition in the market.

At Kaduna Summit, Osinbajo Says Smart Nigerian Youths Can Fill Global Gap of Tech Talents

It was the view of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, that Nigeria has now become the technology investment destination in Sub-Saharan Africa just as he asserted that the Buhari administration will continue to step up efforts in providing stable macroeconomic, conducive business environment, infrastructure and security nationwide.

He also noted that Nigeria can reap more rewards from maximizing its immense potential, especially that of its youths, in a sustainable way in a knowledge-based economy. This is especially so because there is indeed a shortage of tech talents in the world, and Nigerian youths can fill that global gap.

“How do we create adequate resource capacity and capability? What will it take to train and equip enough Engineers, Technologists, Scientists, Doctors, and other products of STEM curricula to drive a knowledge-based economy? Thankfully, we are not alone in this, as there are global shortages everywhere of technological talent,” the VP reasoned.

He continued, “a recent analysis showed that the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning talent gap globally stands at 1.2 million resources, while there are only 650 thousand professionals employable in these roles.

“The best OECD countries have 16 scientists/researchers per 1000 employees and spend 1 to 3% of GDP on Research and Development, where do we stand on that scale? How do we accelerate our progress?”

According to him, “with global gaps in talent, well-planned training programmes could even see Nigeria become a hub for critical technical talent. This was proven with the success of Andela in developing and placing Software Engineering talent and can be replicated across a broader range of STEM disciplines.”

Highlighting the great strides being made by Nigerian youth in reaping the rewards of a knowledge economy through digital technology, the VP noted that “Nigeria is now the technology investment destination in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

He explained briefly how. “Here in Nigeria, youth-run digital businesses are also making great strides. FinTech companies and other technology-enabled solutions are expanding so rapidly that the future of banking and financial services may not belong to banks or bankers as we know them today.

“Companies like Paystack which was recently acquired for $200million, Kuda Bank without a single physical branch, Prospa that is revolutionizing banking for small businesses by tailoring banking and digital solutions, and Eyowo that built the platform for TraderMoni and MarketMoni, are creating jobs and crowding in investment.

“We are also seeing the impact of disruptive technology in our critical agricultural sector. Tomato Jos’ processing facility will be commissioned tomorrow here in Kaduna with a capacity to produce tomato paste of 85 tonnes per day (another product of KADINVEST). Tomato Jos is helping build a model for integration of processing and subsistence farming that can be scaled across the country to solve our perennial issue of producing raw materials without knowledge-based value addition.

“Aside from Tomato Jos, there are many other innovative companies doing well in this space such as BabbanGona that provides training, financial credit, agricultural inputs, harvesting, and marketing support to smallholder farmers.”

In the same vein, Prof. Osinbajo added that a “sound, relevant, practical, problem-solving, education” system will further boost national development because a knowledge-based economy “is entirely dependent on intellectual capital, a workforce, and talent pool that is educated, adaptable and dynamic.”

He said the STEAM curriculum being developed by the Federal Ministry of Education, which has added ‘Arts” to “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math or STEM education is crucial towards “developing an education system that would resource and support the knowledge economy: from teacher training to acquiring technology and other equipment.”

The VP also highlighted the importance of effective coordination and collaboration between the Federal and State governments in achieving mutual goals of infrastructure and socio-economic development.

He noted that the efforts of the Kaduna State government in this regard “are clearly positioned to benefit maximally from the critical infrastructure development that the President has committed so single-mindedly to, since the inception of our administration.

“Federal Government investments in this axis, complemented by the policies and investments of the Kaduna State Government will catalyze an economic hub that will create millions of jobs and opportunities.”

According to the VP, in addition to kinetic interventions, jobs and social protection are vital for security and sustainable development.

“We are making accelerated efforts to enhance security across the country, and in this region particularly,” he said.

Speaking further on the theme of the event, the Vice President noted that that there should be more focus on developing a knowledge-based economy.

Explaining, the VP stated that, “the knowledge economy really refers to how human capital – that is education and knowledge — can become productive assets or business products to be sold for profit. This is simply the commercialization of intellectual capacity rather than natural resources or physical contributions.”

He added that “the trajectory of economic development has tended to be from agriculture and manufacturing to services, and then as countries become wealthier, the knowledge economy becomes the main source of economic rewards.

“But the sheer versatility of technology has made leapfrogging easier than ever before. Indeed, rather than go from stage to stage, the knowledge economy can enhance our performance and benefits from agriculture, manufacturing, and services,” he said.

Shortly after attending the KADINVEST 6.0 event, the Vice President was at the commissioning of the rebuilt and modernized Kasuwan Magani Market and 100-Kilowatts Solar PV Mini-Grid, Kajuru LGA in the State, where he received a rousing welcome from the locals on arrival.

At the commissioning of the market, which had been burnt down during past ethnic conflicts, the VP noted the “importance of community building, partnership, and tolerance amongst our people and a new narrative of growth, togetherness, economic progress, and development.”

Prof. Osinbajo said the unique design of the new market and reorganization of its 942 stalls would encourage interaction and partnership amongst diverse groups.

“Our joint and common interests as Nigerians outweigh our ethnic and religious differences,” he stated.

In the same vein, at the commissioning of the solar PV mini-grid, Prof. Osinbajo noted that “the Ministry of Power through the Rural Electrification Agency partnered with Kaduna State Government and Blue Camel to create a sustainable, clean source of power for the market.”

The Vice President also noted that the Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP SolarPowerNaija project, is aimed at providing 5 million homes with electricity through solar systems and mini-grids, and thus improving access to electricity for Nigerians.

“The funding mechanism for the Solar PV plant today would not have been possible without the intervention of the Buhari Administration. Despite the passage of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act in 2005, the activation of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) only commenced in 2019, a staggering 14 years after the passing of the Act.

“In the two REF cycles executed thus far, more than N6 billion worth of projects have been executed with 42,000 connections being created, impacting an estimated 200,000 Nigerians.”

Also, Nasarawa Governor Praised Osinbajo on Monday

As published on this platform, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, met with members of the Progressives Consolidation Group (PCG) in Lafia, the state capital, on Monday, 20 September. He vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would back Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo if he should throw his hat into the ring of the 2023 presidential election.

However, the group acknowledged that Osinbajo had not declared his interest in the race. Notwithstanding that, it said it was in Nasarawa to beg that Governor Sule should support Osinbajo.

Sule responded that APC governors would back the VP because he is a good brand; he is a “sellable” candidate any day anywhere.

In his words: “Our concern is how we will sustain the party beyond President Buhari. So, if you come up with the idea, you know you will not only get my attention but the attention of every progressive governor in the country.”

“So, if you are going about to sell this man, I want you to know that not every product is sellable but Osinbajo is sellable.

“I pray that all the work you are doing now will not be in vain. It will be good for our party and the progress of this country.”

Aliyu Kurfi, the PCG chairman, argued that Osinbajo Osinbajo would make Nigeria a “better place for all of us” if he is given the opportunity to become president,

Kurfi added: “We are here sir on a very serious business, the serious business of political succession. We are on our mission but engineered by the vision of one of our elder statesmen, Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.”

“We have gone through the various records of activities, life histories and of course the trends of events in politics and we have agreed as an association to work towards the promotion of his candidature.
“We made this decision because we believe with all honesty that we have a professional gentleman if given the opportunity will not only continue the good work of Mr President but with gentlemen like you to support, make Nigeria a better place for all of us.”

“His foresight in so many areas will be useful for Nigeria. He is detribalised and a man who is detached from the shallow thinking of many of us who are tribal bigots.
“We believe we have a gentleman whose thinking is simply that of Nigeria and Nigeria alone.
“We believe he is a gentleman whose political competence knows no bounds. So we have every reason to sell him for the benefit of Nigeria.”