Kaduna state governor, Senator Uba Sani, has said that the remodeled Panteka Market when completed will be a major hub for skills and technology acquisition in Northern Nigeria.
Governor Sani said the remodeled Panteka with modern facilities and access roads will attract patronage from other states and boost businesses in the Market Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani on Monday performed the ground breaking ceremony to flag off the upgrade and remodeling of the Panteka market.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, Governor Sani said, the new Panteka market will have access roads,clinic, fire service, outdoor toilet, ICT centre in addition to skill acquisition centres which will create jobs.and investment opportunities.
He expressed his commitment to building people and adding value to their sources of livelihood, adding that the new Panteka will also be provided with transformers to provide power.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, disclosed that the old Panteka market in Kaduna houses 38,000 Artisans and apprentices receiving training in different skills while describing the market as the largest informal technology hub in Africa.
NBTE boss said, the Panteka market today is a name synonymous with hard work, resilience, job creation, poverty alleviation, creativity, innovation, and a beacon of hope for unemployed youths.
Bugaje noted that Panteka had since 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kaduna Polytechnic to facilitate the formalization of skills training in the market, adding that some of the apprentices graduated in November 2023.
He said, “Panteka is the largest informal technology hub in Africa. Even it’s equivalent in Kenya and Tanzania, the ‘Jua Kali’, counts their members in single-digit thousands”
“Panteka is a heritage site with a vibrant history linked to the building of the city of Kaduna, the former capital of the Northern Region. Panteka is now a brand, well respected across the nation and even in many ECOWAS countries. Panteka has finally become an institution.The transformation of Panteka at this time is very appropriate.
“Therefore, notwithstanding the MoU with Kaduna Polytechnic, Panteka has now been granted, by the NBTE, the status of a full-fledged Training Centre. We hope they will apply the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to get more of their apprentices certified” he said.
In his appreciation, the Chairman of Panteka market Alhaji Sule Shehu Gujiya commended Governor Sani for his conscious efforts to give the market a face lift and the workers a sense of belonging.