•as Kwara Green Revolution declares support for Yaman
•Yaman, a major investor in the agricultural sector’ll prioritise our welfare – Akaje
•Agric revolution for every Kwaran’ll top my agenda – Yaman
A group of agribusiness owners under the auspices of Kwara Green Revolution for Yaman (K-GRY) has stated reasons why they have decided to throw their weight behind the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, saying that Yaman as governor’ll prioritise the agricultural sector when elected.
The Coordinator of the group, Hajia Aishat Akaje Ibrahim disclosed this while delivering her welcome address at the inauguration of the state executives for the Kwara Green Revolution (K-GRY) held on Saturday at the Mandate Hall, Olohunshogo, in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
Akaje who spoke in a multilingual dialect noted that their support for Yaman is a duty call aimed at addressing the hardship and hunger ravaging the country’s economy, particularly in Kwara state, and not for personal gains.
She further stated that the incumbent APC-led government has failed to address the challenges faced by the agribusiness owners in Kwara state.
“As professionals drawn from across the 16 local government areas of Kwara in the farming business, we have gathered here today to analyze the challenges facing us in the past, our present situation, and also chart a way forward as to our expectations in the future.
“Firstly, we expressed our profound gratitude to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara most especially Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki for granting their party’s mandate to one of us in the person of Alhaji Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi as its governorship candidate. We are thankful to the leadership of the PDP because they have given Alhaji Yaman an opportunity to represent the interest of agribusiness owners, who are the major contributor to the country’s economy, particularly our dear Kwara State.
“Before Alhaji Yaman emerges as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Kwara, We have benefited from his numerous support towards ameliorating the hardship facing agribusiness owners in the state and beyond. We are supporting Alhaji Yaman because he was with us in the business before venturing into politics. I could remember how our paths crossed over the years ago. He gifted us with hectares of land in Tsonga which is much in use for the majority of us today.
“We have resolved to join hands with the Peoples Democratic Party because, during their reign in Kwara, Several pieces of training, rewards, and grants were provided for agribusiness owners across the state. Some of us were sent abroad to acquire more knowledge and skills in various sections of the agricultural business. Before now, fertilizers are being sold for N5,000 per bag but today, it is worrisome that one bag of fertilizer is being sold between N25,000 to N30,000. Also, herbicides that were sold before now for N1,200, today it is being sold for N15,000. It is quite disheartening that we can not power our major source of energy to sustain our farming system, the price of Diesel has skyrocketed from N260 per litre to N850 per litre. And in some of the rural areas, our members buy diesel products for N1,000 flat rate.”
Addressing the group of agribusiness owners, the Gubernatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Kwara, Alhaji Shuaibu Abdullahi Yaman ably represented by Alhaji Mohammed Kudu thanked the group for their support, assuring that his government when elected will prioritise the welfare of the agribusiness owners.
Yaman said his administration when elected will channel his agenda towards revolutionising the agricultural sector.
“Let us ask ourselves this question: what is the condition of Kwara yesterday in terms of agriculture? And today, what is the prospect of tomorrow? I believe by now we should be talking about the structure of agriculture, the problems facing it, and the prospect it can bring for every Kwaran tomorrow. It is quite unfortunate that till today, Kwara hasn’t been able to harvest the prospect in agriculture for the state. Since 1987, Yaman has been a major investor in farming. He is undoubtedly a promoter of agriculture not only in Kwara but overseas. As a foreteller of prospect in agribusiness, Yaman acquired five thousand hectares of land for use by some sets of farmers in Kwara. I am happy that the coordinator of this able body is one of the beneficiaries of the hectares of land initiated by Yaman.
“As you all have enjoyed with Yaman, I assure you that when he is elected as the executive governor of Kwara state, He’ll ensure the Agricultural sector is revolutionalised.
“You must have been aware that Yaman is one of the largest distributors of tractors in West Africa. He is the owner of Aromatic Nigeria limited among several other companies owned by him. Between 2015 and 2019, Yaman supplied 2000 tractors from across the states of the federation. I am saying this not because of anything but to differentiate us from those that only hire tractors from outside the state like we are witnessing in Kwara today. Kwarans are desirous of someone that can rejig the present system in the state and I believe with Yaman’s track record as a private individual, he’ll bring back the lost fortunes and rekindle the hope of an ordinary man when elected as the next governor of Kwara state.
“In the agricultural sector, if we take cotton alone for example, Yaman has over 5,000 hectares of land alone in Tsonga district of Edu local government area of Kwara. We intend to build an additional 5,000 cotton beds in Baruten local government. With that, 30,000 people will take direct jobs from there. We can also generate power from there. From these crop of initiatives, we’ll end up producing millionaires from Kwara who are indigenes. Asa local government area, they are blessed with very good land to harvest soya beans. We can build 50,000 numbers of cattle of different breeds, 10,000 milk can be produced while others will be a recycling products. With this, thousands of people will be gainfully employed in the value chain.
“Yaman govt will bring people out of poverty. His govt will teach people how to fish through this wealth-creation initiative. With PDP and Alhaji Yaman as governor, Kwarans will say bye-bye to poverty.”
When asked for comment about the initiative benefited by the group from the past administrations, a major stakeholder in the agricultural sector, Alhaji Suleiman Magaji attested to some of the support provided by the past administrations, saying Dr Bukola Saraki provided a tour to London in the United Kingdom for agribusiness owners during his reign as the governor.
Alhaji Magaji equally said that he was part of the team that led a truck of fertiliser to all sixteen (16) local government areas of Kwara state during the past administrations.
Critical stakeholders present at the occasion include politicians, academicians, and experts from across all walks of life.
Among them are PDP House of Assembly Candidate for Ilorin East, Hon. Haruna MaigidaSanma; the Director of Community Outreach for the Kwara PDP State Campaign Council, Engr Olayinka Otukoko; Mr Ismail Mutolib Omi; LAUTECH University Don, Prof YK Sanusi; All the Kwara Green Revolution for Yaman (K-GRY) Coordinators across the 16 local governments areas among other stakeholders were present at the event.
