Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has said due to the discovery of oil, Nigerians abandoned agriculture, lamenting that Nigerians are poorer for it.
Sani said for the country to be fully transformed and give Nigerians a new lease of life priority must be given to agriculture.
Governor Sani who made this known at a one-day lecture organised by Arewa Think Tank in Kaduna yesterday said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s investment in agriculture is unequalled in the history of administrations in Nigeria.
Governor Sani recalled that ‘’at independence, agriculture was the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. The three regions effectively utilized resources from agriculture to build critical infrastructure and develop human capital.”
He lamented that “due to the discovery of oil, we abandoned agriculture. We are the poorer for it. We must return to agriculture and invest heavily in it. It holds the key to addressing the challenges of poverty, unemployment and insecurity. ‘’
Governor Sani, however, maintained that ‘’President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is already showing us the way. His administration has prioritized agriculture and is investing heavily in mechanization and empowerment of smallholder farmers.’’
Sani said President Bola Tinubu is determined to reset Nigeria and put it irreversibly on the path to sustainable growth and development.
He acknowledged that the implementation of the president’s bold policies have not been without challenges and pains for Nigerians but clarified that the pains are temporary.
‘’In fact, we are already turning the corner. The economy is fast improving. Very soon the positive impact of the reforms would be felt by Nigerians. What the President needs at this critical time is the support of our people,’’ he added.
He said the main policy thrust of his administration is rural transformation of Kaduna State, adding that ‘’we are committed to promoting accelerated rural development by extending infrastructure to all local government areas with the goal of supporting our rural communities to achieve rapid economic growth.’’
Governor Sani maintained that ‘’with an average annual production of staple crops such as maize, millet, and sorghum reaching over 2 million metric tonnes, making Kaduna State the largest producer of maize in Nigeria and the sole producer of one of the best ginger species in the world,’’ he added.
