Gov Abdulrasaq Receives IsDB Officials In Ilorin, Says Food Security ‘ll Help Lift Millions Of People Out Of Poverty
Nigeria and Africa can easily break the shackles of poverty through proper investments that will lead to food security as well as various safety net programmes that will directly put money in the pockets of those mostly in need of it, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara state, has said.
AbdulRazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye noted in a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com that the governor said this on Monday at the meeting he held with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) team on National Programme for Food Security at the Government House, Ilorin.
He added that coordinated investments in agricultural value chains and social investment programmes that target the most vulnerable groups could help to lift millions of people out of poverty.
Apart from its support for agriculture, the Governor said his administration had also continued to support small businesses and lift up people below the poverty line through its social safety programmes like Owo Arugbo and Owo Isowo, among others.
The Governor said everything must be done to grow the agricultural value chains like the one being supported by the IsDB .
Kwara, Kebbi, Kano and Ekiti states have been chosen to benefit in the first phase of the programme which is funded by the international financial institution.
‘The global problem created by Covid-19 is still subsisting. We have a huge problem globally not just in Nigeria which has affected food security throughout the world.
Africa, and indeed Nigeria, is ready to feed the world. We have the land and everything to achieve that. But we have to be organized. And it is programmes like this that will put us in the right footing to feed the world in every aspect. It is a serious thing that you sent a team down to Kwara to make sure you have hands-on approach to the programme’ he told the IsDB Operations team led by Javed Khan.
‘Our 10-year Agriculture Transformation Plan shows the seriousness our administration attaches to agriculture and its value chains. The future for us is agriculture and agro-processing. That is where we have comparative advantages.
We thank you for your interest in our state. With thorough engagement and sincerity of purpose, be assured that our team is prepared and very serious about this project, because we don’t have oil in Kwara, agriculture is part of what we are looking at to sustain us. So, we need to and we indeed can break the chains of poverty through agriculture’ Abdulrazaq added.
Khan, who commended the governor for his administration’s commitment to the wellbeing of the poor, also said they were in the state to see things for themselves.
‘As a procedure, we are here just to confirm and we got the confirmation from the relevant team here, that whatever is designed is according to the needs and requirements of Kwara state. We are here to listen to all the technical people if they need to add or remove something from it. This is a project for the people of Kwara.
What I saw in the last few months that I joined the Nigeria’s team in Abuja is that there is a lot of potentials not only in Kwara but also in many other states. But you need to harness this potential for greater benefits. How do we get this benefits from it? We need to work together to achieve the set objectives.
I will like to convey the appreciation of the bank to Your Excellency for your commitment to the wellbeing of the poor. With your government’s support, I am sure, we will be able to conclude our technical meetings here and have a good implementation’ he said.
Khan added that he led a combined team from the Office of the National Programme for Food Security; the Islamic Development Bank; Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Federal Ministry of Finance.
Kwara state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Abdulateef Gidado Alakawa, said the state would join three other states — Kano, Kebbi and Ekiti — that have been captured in the first phase of the programme.
He attributed the choice of Kwara and other benefitting states to the commitment of their respective state governments to the agricultural sector .
‘I am glad to inform Your Excellency that the state under your leadership has met all the criteria, and in all the assessments, Kwara state came first the first time they did it, the second time , and the third time . So they are here this morning to do the final stage’ he said.
The meeting was also attended by Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi , Commissioner for Health, Dr. Raji Razaq , KWASSIP Chairman, Abdulquawiy Olododo; Agricultural Development Project (ADP) chief, Dr. Khadijat Lawal and other government officials- Team@orientactualmags.com
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