By Lawal Tanko 
The Secretary to the Government of Niger State (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman, represented by Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan Wasagi, FCNA, Director of Finance, SSG’s Office joined the Governor of Niger State, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, at the Conference Hall of Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the Niger State Government on the Sustainable Integrated Productive Communities (SIPC) initiative.
The SIPC is a national rural development programme designed to transform rural areas into economically viable, secure and liveable communities. The initiative integrates housing, agriculture, infrastructure and guaranteed market access into a single coordinated model that enables rural households to own homes and productive lands while earning sustainable income.
Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago signed the MoU on behalf of the Niger State Government, while Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, CFA, Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Finance, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.
Also in attendance at the event were Member representing Bida, Gbako and Katcha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdul, Honourable Commissioners of Finance, Justice, Agriculture, Housing, and Power and Renewable Energy, as well as senior officials from both the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Niger State Government.
The signing ceremony was described as a significant milestone towards unlocking the rural economic potentials of Niger State and aligning with the development blueprint of the Farmer Governor under the New Niger Agenda.