LAST Friday, the Turaki of Ilorin and Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha demonstrated a paradigm shift in the area of empowerment of constituents and by extension, the electorate.
The deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru; Chief Whip of the Senate,Tahir Monguno, the senator representing Lagos West, Adetokunbo Abiru and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari were among dignitaries present at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority,Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where empowerment items were distributed to beneficiaries.
The event tagged, Alubarika 1.0 Agricultural and Human Capital Development Empowerment Programme was historic as beneficiaries cut across the four local government in Senator Mustapha senatorial district. They included artisans, market women, indigent students in universities and several youths, products of the lawmaker skills acquisition programme.
Filling the void
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had last January raised concern about the cold indifference of the subnationals, particularly the state governors to complement him in mitigating the temporary pains thrown up by his economic reforms, particularly the withdrawal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira.
One of the immediate gains of the removal of the fuel subsidy was the sudden surge in the monthly allocation available to the state governors to meet the demand of their people for essential social services. But the impact was not to be seen as some of the governors join the opposition chorus in passing the buck of the economic challenges faced by Nigerians to the Federal Government.
President Tinubu must have been reacting to the complacency of the governors when, during their courtesy visit to him in Lagos, he told them pointedly, to join him in driving his administration agricultural revolution and strengthening of local government autonomy to foster grassroots development and economic stability.
At the New Year visit by the governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Tinubu described their role as the “most important link” to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The President emphasised the importance of collaboration between the federal and state governments to tackle critical issues, including food security, local government empowerment and economic growth.
He said: “You are the most important link to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The federal government accounts for about 30 to 35 per cent of the allocated revenue; the rest comes to you. The agricultural value chain depends on you. You own the land, and the job is in your hands.”
While Tinubu’s message might have been lost on some of the governors, majority of who are in the ruling APC, some who are holding elective office under his party banner are silently seizing the initiative to ensure the success of his agenda and ultimately, put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
Senator Mustapha appears to stand out among those complementing the President and the APC leader in his vision to reach out to “the lowest of the low,” the underprivileged.
Apart from provision of scholarship to over 200 indigent students in universities, empowerment items distributed to beneficiaries included, 20 tractors, to be shared among the four local government, 10,000 bags of fertilizer, 30 complete industrial rice milling equipment, 25 complete Garri processing machines, all to assist farmers and boost agricultural produce.
Artisans trained in tailoring and designing went home with Butterfly sewing machines (200) Industrial sewing machines, (55) and Gas-Powered Pressing Irons (100). Those trained in solar installation were given complete Solar Installation equipment while over 100 butchers were given one life cow each.
Chairman of the committee of organisers, Alhaji Nasir Abdulkadir, in his presentation, emphasised that the focus of Senator Mustapha was not in giving handout to make the electorate in his constituents, economically subservient to him, but to empower them to be gainfully engaged.
He said: “Senator Mustapha warned us against favoritism in selecting beneficiaries. He insisted that things must be done, differently. He said beneficiaries must be trained in such a way that whatever item we give them, they can use to fend for themselves, things that can be produced locally. Take the tailors for instance, we trained them to become entrepreneurs.”
The Kwara Central lawmaker who incidentally is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, said the empowerment programme was meant to make the beneficiaries self-reliant. He said that apart from the physical empowerment materials, beneficiaries had been trained and certificated on how to use the tools and carry out their trade as entrepreneurs.
He said:”Today’s programme is just a symbolic one to flag off what we intend to do with most of our people we have trained. We decided to put them through a series of programmes and trainings.
“In fact, we are missing out one vital aspect. Everywhere you go now, you’ll see solar streetlights. We took time to train our indigenes who are interested in learning to maintain, to repair and to instal solar panels. The most fascinating part was when I came during a training exercise and I saw a lot of women who were part of it and I asked, “In our community here that I thought was conservative for women to climb roof and poles? I saw them; they are fully trained now on how to install, repair and maintain solar inverters. All of them are here too and they will get their working tools.
“Most of the people you see here under the canopies are not just political spectators; these are carefully chosen beneficiaries who have gotten through training. We are not holding a political rally or jamboree here.”
Gale of commendations
Deputy President of the Senate,Barau Jibrin, who led some principal officers of the Senate to the occasion was impressed that he announced a personal donation of additional 200 sewing machines to assist his colleague.
He further described the empowerment programme carried out by Senator Mustapha as a conscious effort to promote President Tinubu’s administration agriculture and food security agenda.
He described as laudable, the focus on Agriculture and Human Capital Development.
He said: “Because we don’t need to waste much time talking about the importance of agriculture in every society. Agriculture is sine qua non to the survival of every society because without food, no life. And this is a cardinal programme of this administration and the renewed Hope of Mr President to provide food for all.
“No wonder the constituents decided to pick Saliu Mustapha, who is an outstanding person and party leader in this country to represent them in the Senate. He is a very friendly human being, industrious and peaceful, who connects with everybody in the Senate. In fact, you’ve done the right thing by electing him. All the time he’s going to speak on the floor of the Senate, it’s about what is going to come to Kwara.”
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security spoke in the same vein as he lauded Senator Mustapha’s focus in implementing projects that promotes food security in the country, in line with the objectives of the present administration. Kyari said: “You are doing well on the floor of the Senate. Tinubu’s food security initiative is working. Food isn’t only becoming affordable but available. Tinubu is working to promote agriculture.
“I am happy that the chairman of the Senate Committee oversighting me is also promoting Tinubu’s agenda. I pray to Almighty Allah to protect and guide us.”
National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru also thanked the Kwara Central lawmaker for his noble initiative in promoting the key agenda of President Tinubu.
The APC secretary particularly appealed to beneficiaries not to kill the motive of their Senator as he cautioned them to use the items distributed to them to keep themselves gainfully employed.
He said: “Don’t sell the items given to you. The focus of Tinubu administration is to eradicate poverty and I am impressed that Senator Mustapha is complementing that here. The national chairman of the party sent his goodwill message. He is equally impressed with what your Senator is doing to promote the present administration and has pleaded with you not to let him down. To whom much is given, much is expected.”
Also in attendance were Emir of Ilorin, Sulu Gambari represented by the Alhaji Modibo Sulu Gambari, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Muhammadu Bashir, among other dignitaries.
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