Pegasus Reporters Issues on the Wing
“Mal. Abdulkarim also suggested the need for Local Governments to enhance agricultural mechanisation and dry season farming activities as well as explore more ways to add value to their revenue base, especially against the background of the ongoing tax reform negotiations which may likely affect their share of the Federation Account”
*Mallam Abdulkarim Muhammad Abdullahi is the founder of the Nasarawalite Unity Forum
PEGASUS REPORTERS, LAGOS | JANUARY 4, 2025
As the National Assembly is set to commence debate on the controversial new VAT/Tax law, a suggestion has been made to Northern States to adopt the Nasarawa model of agricultural initiative to boost their internally generated revenue.
In a Press Statement in Abuja, one of the frontline APC leaders and founder of the Nasarawalite Unity Forum, Mallam Abdulkarim Muhammad Abdullahi says the Nasarawa agricultural template which focuses on agriculture as a form of business, should be adopted and encouraged as a means of survival and revenue generation.
He commended Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State for introducing the programme among Local Government Councils in the State as a potential source of revenue generation with less dependence on the Federation account.
Already, all the Local Government Areas have received tractors and other agricultural machinery from the State Government to enable them to key into the new agricultural initiative.
Applauding the Governor’s visionary effort to make agriculture and food security part of the new prosperity-driven agenda in the society, he added that it will also serve as a complementary adjunct of Nigeria’s survival strategy and game changer.
Mallam Abdulkarim an unrepentant believer and diehard promoter of local know-how is excited with the Governor’s action plan to inspire the new Local Government Chairmen to focus their attention on rural agriculture as their cash cow and magna-opus to promote a paradigm shift from urban development to rural renewal to address rural food security as well as revenue needs.
He further advised that Nasarawa and other Northern States can emulate the late Captain Ibrahim Aboki’s business approach and strategy to agriculture to enhance their revenue base and be self-reliant.
He recalled that the late Ibrahim Aboki who was the Chairman of Keffi Local Government successfully floated a flourishing cottage industry where he raised poultry products like chicken, turkey, and goats and established sales centres and supermarket outreach supply Centers, which were competitive and more popularly patronized by the people.
Mal Abdulkarim noted that the programme also served as an opportunity to empower the local youths and their family to actively engage in agricultural business.
He however regretted that such a laudable idea was allowed to die through negligence and corruption but expressed the hope that a new crop of leaders at the Local Government level including those of Keffi and Kokona, can still revive such a programme for the benefit of their people.
Mal. Abdulkarim also suggested the need for Local Governments to enhance agricultural mechanisation and dry season farming activities as well as explore more ways to add value to their revenue base, especially against the background of the ongoing tax reforms negotiations which may likely affect their share of the Federation Account.
The APC Chieftain warned that revenue generation is the current threat to the economic survival of the North and must be tackled headlong through agriculture to reverse the economic parasitism.
Mallam Abdulkarim also reinforced his opposition to the Federal Government’s fatalistic reliance on foreign food supply chains which has been the major obstacle to our rural community’s rapid development initiatives and increased prosperity.
He gave kudos to Gov AA Sule for the bold agricultural initiative which he believes, will reposition the State for economic prosperity and growth.
More importantly, he said, the North must restore its lost moral quotient and glory which earned it global integrity recognition.
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