General Abdourahamane Tiani, the President of Niger unveiled a series of major projects on Monday during a public rally in the country’s southern economic capital, promising in particular the construction of agro-industrial and healthcare infrastructure to boost youth employment.
General Tiani announced on Monday the establishment of an agro-industrial centre costing 60 billion CFA francs in Maradi, in central southern Niger, during a public rally held at the city’s traditional wrestling arena.
Speaking to a large crowd, President Tiani unveiled several major projects aimed at strengthening youth employment in the Maradi region, particularly in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
This announcement comes after the President’s visit to the Jirataoua irrigated area, covering 1,273 hectares, which this year saw an estimated Moringa harvest of approximately 23,000 tonnes, worth about 2 billion CFA francs over eight months of production.
According to General Tiani, this irrigated area alone can guarantee food self-sufficiency for the Maradi region. With this in mind, the Nigerien President announced the expansion of the site and the establishment of a future agro-industrial centre.
He also announced the creation of a dry port and the upcoming completion of the railway linking Kano, in neighboring Nigeria, to Maradi – infrastructure projects expected to boost the local economy and create jobs for young people.
General Tiani also called on economic operators to invest in the local processing of agricultural products in order to stimulate entrepreneurship among young people in the region.
On the social front, the government plans to build 15 Integrated Health Centers (IHCs) and modernize the Maradi referral hospital with state-of-the-art equipment.
Regarding security, the President commended the progress made by the Defense and Security Forces (DSF) in combating insecurity, thanks to the collaboration of the population and religious and traditional leaders.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to continuing the recruitment, training and equipping of the DSF.
Tiani also emphasised that Niger has been spared the lean season for the past two years, thanks to initiatives such as the Large-Scale Irrigation Programme.
AC/Sf/fss/gik/APA