FIC Report (Nasarawa State) – Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Agenda, stressing that the initiative will usher in sustainable development across the 8,809 wards, and 774 local government areas in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing two-day National Economic Council meeting on NTA Network News monitored in Lafia, Monday, Governor Sule said the bottom-up economic development approach unveiled by President Tinubu has tremendous potentials to further develop rural communities.
According to him, under this new dispensation, instead of development cascading from Abuja to the states and local government areas, the approach conceived by the federal government will now see development initiated at the ward level.
“If you had listened to the President, the whole idea is what you call grassroots development. It is where you are developing the economy from the grassroots. It is no longer top to bottom. It is now bottom up,” he stated.
He added that, with this new approach, the states, local government areas and the private sector are the main drivers of economic development while the federal government provides the vision.
“The FG is only going to do its best in the area of the vision. This is the plan. We want to have a one trillion dollar economy. But who is going to drive it? The driving engines are the states and the private sector. That is why the whole idea about involving the states, bringing them on and asking the states what is it that they can offer?” he said.
When asked how this directly affects the common man, the Governor explained that every ward in Nigeria, including the 147 wards in Nasarawa State, will be assessed for its unique potential and needs.
“In Nasarawa for instance, we have a competitive advantage in three different areas. Number one is agriculture. We are very strong in agriculture, and we select crops where we have advantage so that we can create employment for the people. We can go back and say that now that we have employment, we have infrastructure leading to the areas, we have power, we have water, and the people are self-employed.
“Then we go into the area of mining, where we are also strong and ensure that for every mineral that we are mining, we are also processing it in Nasarawa State. For instance, if it is lithium, tin, columbite, lead, zinc, whatever that it is, and we process it in Nasarawa State. That way, you create employment opportunities for the people, and you give the people the independence to be able to be part of that,” he said.
Governor Sule further commended the Tinubu administration as the country witnesses a drop in inflation rate of 30 percent three years ago to 15. 5 percent presently.
He equally appreciated the fact the improvement in the country’s exchange rate from over N2000 to a dollar to less than N1400, amongst other positive indices.
“Look at our oil production. Oil production has moved from the 1.1-1.2 mbpd. Today, we are producing as much as 1.75 mbpd. Nigeria has the capacity to go 3 mbpd from the presentation today. Coming from the oil and gas sector, I know that with our 40b barrels of reserve, Nigeria can easily produce 3 mbpd,” he added.
He also commended the NEC conference as not only timely but a pathway to delivering inclusive growth and sustainable development for Nigerians.
Governor Sule disclosed that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Agenda plans to empower at least 1,000 beneficiaries in every ward across the country, as direct support and opportunities for ordinary people to start businesses or improve their livelihoods, thereby building the economy from the bottom.
Signed
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA.
