Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has challenged his colleagues to look inwards for other sources of income instead of depending on money from the federation account which is dependent on oil.
Bello according to his Chief Press Secretary Jibrin Ndace made the suggestion in New York while exchanging views with the Nigeria Consul General Mr. Nicholas Ella during a courtesy visit.
Bello had led a high powered government delegation to the United States of America to sign series of memorandum of understandings with investors in that country as one of the ways to diversify the state economy and improve the development of the state.
Bello said in the statement that agriculture was the best and easiest way to generate income for States and also solve the high level of unemployment plaguing most states at the moment.
“Agriculture is the future of Nigeria’s economy it is time for each component unit of the country to look inward for new revenue streams”.
The governor was also quoted as saying that each of the states in the country had what it takes to generate new streams of revenue saying that: my administration has been working seriously since May 2015 to reposition the economy of the my state.
“Our intention is to make the state an agro based economy” the governor said. It is very clear from the current reality in Nigeria and the dictates of the global economy that the future of Nigeria economy does not lie in oil revenue, it lies in agriculture, solid minerals, sports and other untapped potentials. It is time we look beyond oil for new revenue stream, fortunately each state has what it takes to create a new economic future for Nigeria.”
The governor said it was for that reason that his administration would continue to “reach out to investors across the globe” stressing that ” we need investors as much as they need us, they will come with financing opportunities, new skills new technologies and new markets”.
He assured potential investors that the government would provide them favourable climate for them to operate while also saying that the state was the most peaceful in the country.
(Thisday)
