Kaduna State Clears N18bn Pension Arrears, Boosts Agriculture

The Kaduna State Government, under the administration of Governor Uba Sani, has successfully cleared N18 billion in pension and gratuity arrears, attributed to increased allocations from the Federation Account under President Bola Tinubu. Ahmed Maiyaki, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, stated that the government inherited approximately N24 billion in outstanding pension and gratuity liabilities, alongside foreign and domestic debts.

The administration has initiated significant infrastructure development, with 115 road projects ongoing across the 23 local government areas, improving transportation and connecting rural communities to markets. The agricultural budget has seen a dramatic increase from N1.4 billion in 2023 to over N100 billion by 2026, reflecting a rise in agricultural funding from 0.4% to 11.6% of the state budget.

This funding has facilitated the distribution of fertiliser to farmers and investments in irrigation and mechanised agriculture, aiming to enhance the sector that contributes 42% to Kaduna’s GDP and provides 60% of employment.