Will Kano rise again?

[Richard Akindele]

Kano, once an economic hub for trade and commerce is on her belly. In place of economic glory, the state is now a theatre of violence and inhospitability. AYODELE OJO reports on the summit aimed at restoring the state’s economic prosperity.

"CENTRE of Commerce.� That name aptly described Kano State that once prided herself as the centre of trade and commerce activities not only in Nigeria but the entire West Africa and beyond. In those good old days, even before Nigeria became independent, Kano was a prosperous place.
Then, Kano metropolis was Nigeria’s second most industrialized city with five huge industrial areas. Also agriculture was the mainstay of the state’s economy. Remember the groundnut pyramid! Kano was famous for its groundnut pyramid and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economy. In fact, Kano was called the Manchester of Africa because of the volume of textile trade in those days.

Indeed, Kano’s prosperity was once what all could be proud of. But, of late, the story has changed. The once centre of commerce and industry with a diverse make-up of different religious, social and cultural backgrounds, is now a theatre of violence and intolerance. The result has been a persistent downturn in the social and economic life of the state. With a growing population, rising unemployment and an increasingly restless youth, the dangers are obvious: several companies have closed down, incidence of poverty has been on the increase, and the state has lost competitiveness within the national economy.
Would the situation continue? Any hope of restoring Kano’s economic prosperity? These and many more nagging questions became the subject of discourse between April 25 and 27, when handful of the state’s best minds converged at Murtala Mohammed Library Complex, Kano for the First Kano Economic Summit. The summit with the theme: Restoring Kano’s Economic Prosperity, underscores the ultimate goal of the deliberations that will focus on four crucial issues: reducing poverty, investing in people, reviving economic growth, improving governance and promoting policy dialogue.

The Kano Economic Summit, a private-public initiative, aims to build consensus in the design and implementation of appropriate strategies for restoring Kano’s economic prosperity and sustaining it into the future. The summit was put together by the Kano Peace and Development Initiative (KAPEDI), a group of concerned indigenes of Kano State driven by patriotic zeal for the upliftment of Kano society.

Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Yakassia, Kano State commissioner for commerce and chairman of the summit steering committee in his welcome address noted that the problems of Kano are pressing, varied and enormous which call for thorough diagnosis and application of the correct prescriptions. “The defining moment for change has come so that we chart a new course for the future,� Yahassai said. “We are all resolved that with the support and understanding of all, our summit will achieve consensus on the way forward and have blueprint on how to address our nagging problems that continue to impede our social and economic growth.�

In his keynote address, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, deputy governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and chairman, Kano Peace and Economic Development Initiative said the motive behind the formation of the group on June 5, 2004 was to find a lasting solution to the orgy of violence which had become the lot of Kano in recent past.

Shamsuddeen said: “You know Kano used to have this picture of a very volatile place. Investors ran away from the place including people from other parts of Nigeria. It was seen as a politically violent state. So many of us, concerned citizens of Kano, rose up and said enough of this madness and when we had achieved a reasonable level of stability, we thought of this economic summit which is to focus attention on development and get Kano back on the track. We owe a lot to Kano State particularly the people, because it was their resources that were used to give us education. And we need to give them much in return.�

Governor Ibrahim Shekarau in his opening address at the summit admitted that Kano had her own share of the nation’s economic regression, which resulted in the decline of economic fortunes of the state. He gave a graphic details of the problems bedeviling the state thus: “Even before we assumed the mantle of leadership of this great state in 2003, we realized that the social problems of our people owed their root partly to the declining economy of the state. Other causes we realized included the increasing pauperization of our people and our country’s deepening crisis of under development. The problems confronting us include that of unreliable, insufficient erratic and highly centralized power supply. Considering the centrality of energy in any economy activity, this is a major obstacle to our economic development.

Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), the president of National Farmers Council, who delivered a paper on ‘Opportunities and Challenges in Modern Agriculture in Kano’, recalled the good old days when Kano was the hub of commerce not only in Nigeria but the whole of West Africa particularly in the areas of agricultural produce and allied matters.

Dr. David Tommy, UNIDO country representative & director RIDC, in his presentation of ‘Imperatives for Industrial Competitiveness in Kano State,’ at the summit recalled the past glory of Kano in industrial development. According to him, with the implementation of ISI in Nigeria, firms established in Kano were within the neighbourhood of 400 between 1970 early 1980s (trailing only after Lagos).�

These firms cut-across all branches of economic activities (textiles, paper and paper products, leather, food and beverages, plastic, metal etc). Presently, there are less than 120 firms operational in the state. Hence, de-industrialisation has set in earnest. Some other reasons are macro-economic in nature (trade policy and exchange rate issues). Some are directly related to the local investment climate (infrastructure, tax policies, peace and stability etc).

At the end of the three days summit, one thing the partnership had definitely agreed upon was that Kano’s economic prosperity must be restored through a blueprint that would serve as a step-by-step guide that, if followed, has the potential to lift Kano State to new heights, above the problems and plights that are fast eroding the legacy of past that Kano was noted for in trade and commerce.

Engr. Mansur Ahmed, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, who is also the chairman of the summit planning committee, said the summit won’t just be a talk shop but intended for developing a practical roadmap programme for the restoration of Kano’s economic prosperity.

Source: Vanguard