FEARS of possible bombing by Boko Haram prompted exhibitors, visitors and residents to stay away from yesterday’s official opening of this year’s Kaduna International Trade Fair, which recorded a low number of participants.

This came on the heels of last Thursday’s attack on the SOJ Plaza, Kontagora road housing three national dailies, ThisDay, The Sun and The Moment  newspapers where bomb explosion killed three people and injured several others.

The annual exhibition, christened ‘Africa’s Most Famous Fair ’, was scantily attended and devoid of the usual fanfare associated with it.

Many of the stands at the permanent site of the fair, on the Kilometre 6, Kaduna/Kano expressway, were empty.
However, the fair, sponsored by the Unity Bank Plc and Dangote Group of Companies, had in attendance the Kaduna State governor, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa and his wife, Amina; wife of the Vice President, Amina Mohammed Sambo; the Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia; Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Alhaji Abdullahi Yakawada, and representatives of the Emir of Zauzau.

Some companies and financial institutions that usually erect pavilions at the fair complex were conspicuously absent even as security operatives took over the fair grounds.

In his address, Governor Yakowa allayed fear of  the exhibitors, visitors as well as residents, as adequate measures had been put in place to safeguard the life and property in the state. Yakowa also reiterated the stand of the Northern elders, under the aegis of the Arewa Elders’ Forum , that the North could stand on its own in terms of revenue generation to cater for the region.

While commending the exhibitors at the fair, he insisted that his government was on top of the security situation in the state. “We also thank those of you that have made time and agreed to participate in this fair. You are true entrepreneurs, who not only see opportunities, but also take advantage of them at the right time.

“I salute your courage and determination and welcome you all to Kaduna State,” he said.

He argued that there were enormous potentials in agriculture and mining in the North, stressing that the only way out for the region not to over-depend on oil and gas revenue was to harness the potentialities in the agricultural and mining sectors of the economy.

His words: “We have enormous potential in agriculture and mining. If the North will concentrate on these two, we will have enough to transform this  part of this country and the entire country as a whole.

“We are also developing our solid minerals sectors, our infrastructure and power sector, in addition to others, to a globally competitive status where we wish to have foreign direct investment on them.”

The governor disclosed that one of the most reputable tractor manufacturers in the world, Massey Ferguson, has agreed to establish
a tractor manufacturing company in the state.

Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Sambo, who was special guest of honour at the fair, called on local and foreign investors to take the advantage of untapped opportunities in the non-oil sectors such as agriculture, mining,  tourism and power.

Mrs. Sambo appealed to the Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) to set aside a special day for women entrepreneurs and traders to give them a voice and window to showcase their goods and services.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Apr 29 2012. Filed under Boko Haram, Headlines, Kaduna, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry