Senator Saliu Mustapha Calls for Focus on Agriculture in Local Government Councils
As reported by Voice of Nigeria, Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has advocated for prioritising agriculture within local government councils across Nigeria.
Speaking at the dinner and award night hosted by the Correspondence Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin, Senator Mustapha emphasized the need for constitutional amendments to reassign the core responsibilities of Local Government Areas (LGAs) to agriculture. He highlighted the critical role the agricultural sector can play in revolutionising the nation's economic development.
Represented by his aide and senior lawyer, Abdulkareem Alabi, Senator Mustapha, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that agriculture should no longer be treated as secondary or left exclusively to private enterprise.
Focus on Agriculture
Instead, the Lawmaker urged for a nationwide strategy where local governments are constitutionally mandated to focus on agriculture as their primary function.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, and it holds the key to addressing unemployment, food insecurity, and rural developments” Senator Mustapha stated.
“For too long, our local governments have been distracted by peripheral responsibilities. It is time we refocus their energies on what really matters – agriculture and rural developments.”
He argued that local government areas is closer to the grassroots, are in a prime position to facilitate agricultural development and rural transformation, both of which are crucial for food security and economic growth.
According to Senator Mustapha, Nigeria's reliance on oil revenues has not only left the country vulnerable to global market fluctuations but also stunted the growth of its agricultural sector, which remains the largest employer of labor in the country.
By institutionalising agriculture as the central focus of LGAs, the senator believes Nigeria can unlock vast economic potentials, improve livelihoods, and ensure sustainable development.
“In India as in Brazil, the local government plays a crucial role in agriculture. Brazilian municipalities are deeply involved in managing rural extension services, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and ensuring that smallholder farmers have access to resources. This model has contributed to Brazil becoming one of the world's largest agricultural producers, particularly in soybeans, sugar, and beef.”
Senator Mustapha noted that these international models demonstrate how empowering local governments to prioritize agriculture can yield significant dividends.
He said countries like India and Brazil have transformed their economies through localised agricultural development, meaning that Nigeria could replicate these successes if it realigns its focus.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
HAMFAT Clinic And Maternity SGBN Umar Ahmed Gunu Gbemi Saraki Yakubu Gobir Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman UNILORIN Alumni Kwara Hotel Zubair Folorunsho Erubu NFAI Kwara State Geographic Information Service Fatima Abolore Jimoh Abdulraheem Olesin Isiaka AbdulRazaq Salman Alada Elesie Of Esie Tunji Oyawoye John Olobayo Buari Edun Shaaba Lafiagi Madawaki Ilorin Amusement Park Kwara Polytechnic Adedipe Binta Abubakar-Mora Moses Adekanye Kwara 2015 Yahaya Seriki Gambari Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf Dan Masanin Lanwa Mohammed Khadijat Kubura Muyideen Ajani Bello Abikan Christian Association Of Nigeria Ogbondoroko Najim Yaasin Okin Malt Samuel Adedoyin Crystal Corner Shops Ahmad Belgore Offa Ita-Nmo Market Abubakar Ndakene Leke Ogungbe Oniwa Umar Saro Javed Khan Tunji Folami Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria Vasolar Consortium Olomu Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria Odo-Owa Yaman Shaykh Luqman Jimoh Shonga Ishola Moses Abiodun Ayinde Oyepitan Oyelere Oyinloye Alao Ayotunde Alfa Belgore Yaru Issa Memunat Moyosore CACOVID Palliatives Sam Onile Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory Rihanat Ajia Folorunsho Erubu Yekini Adio Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency Tunde Mukaila Mustapha Kayode Ibrahim Bamidele Adegoke Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla Ahman Pategi University LABTOP

