The Nasarawa State Government has signed a partnership with the United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility to build a 4000-bed hostel for students of the state university in the Keffi Local Government Area.
The partnership will also usher in funded technical assistance for the preparation of Climate Smart Infrastructure Public Private Partnerships projects in the state.
Speaking during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule expressed optimism that the partnership would help improve productivity, reduce poverty and boost the economy of the state.
The partnership which was facilitated by the state’s Investment and Development Agency, is also on a mutual accountability framework between the state government and UKNIAF.
He said, “As we sign this mutual accountability framework, we wish to reaffirm our promise and commitment to do things differently. We will continue to work innovatively, leverage partnerships, and implement essential policy reforms that translate to good governance for everyone across Nasarawa State.
“I crave the continuous support of all stakeholders in ensuring that this signing today translates into tangible benefits for all, as we inch closer to the Nasarawa of our dreams.”
In his remark, the Managing Director of UKNIAF, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, said five key reforms initiated by Governor Sule’s administration were the catalyst for the public-private partnership agreement between UKNIAF and the state government.
Onyia further lauded the efforts of NASIDA in attracting investments and developments to the state, and promised to continue to partner with the government on initiatives that would boost the state’s economy.
Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nasarawa State Investment and Development Agency, Ibrahim Abdullahi, expressed gratitude to UKNIAF for the partnership, assuring that the state would continue to have deliberate policies to ensure growth and prosperity for all of its residents.