Loading ...As Acting President Yemi Osinbajo last week commissioned a N10 billion
Rice Mill in Kebbi State, a member of the seventh House of
Representatives, Hon Bamidele Faparusi , has advised Ekiti State
Governor to learn from other performing governors on how best to
boost the revenue of the state .
Faparusi lauded the feat achieved by Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi ,
saying such could have been easily achieved by Governor Fayose if
he had shifted attention to rice production where the state has
immeasurable comparative advantage with its long standing ‘Igbemo
rice’.
The governorship aspirant appealed to Fayose to place high premium on
how best to improve the standards of living of Ekiti populace by
stopping distributing what he called ‘a highly debasing sachets of
rice to people as if they were beggars”.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti , on Monday, the Chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress(APC), lamented how the PDP-led government has
upgraded the act of begging to a statecraft , in Ekiti that was
proudly regarded as the Fountain of Knowledge.
He said what Governor Bagudu’s did in rice production in Kebbi has
launched the state to global reckoning and confirmed that the
governor was prepared to serve and deliver the democratic dividends to
the citizens.
“The entire Nigerians were aware of the comparative advantage Ekiti
has in rice production. The local Igbemo rice has become a household
delicacy the people sought after because of its nutritional values.
“Since Governor Fayose came on board, he never keyed into any of the
federal government’s policies in agriculture. There were free cocoa
seedlings scheme, Mass Rice Production programme , Yam for export
scheme , but he preferred to give the populace peanuts than
embracing such lofty programmes just because of politics.
“Anambra and Ebonyin States which are in the opposition had keyed
into mass rice production scheme. With time, Ebonyin State will be
producing over 30% of rice consumable in the country. You can imagine
what will be the effect of this on GDP and the revenue of that state.
“On daily basis, Governor Fayose pursed debasement of our
collective pride with vigour by distributing a congo of rice and a
packet of indomie to grown up people thereby promoting beggary and
indolence among our citizens.
“There is nothing wrong in learning. Now that it is evident that
Governor Fayose has little or no grasp of how best to run the economy,
let him take a month leave and visit Kebbi, Ebonyin or Lagos State and
understudy how they have boosted their economies through the
instrumentality of agriculture.
“Ekiti State is agrarian and has favourable climatic and edaphic
conditions to make profitable exploits in the sector. We appeal to him
to take governance serious and invest in this area to make life
meaningful for those who voted him into office”.
Faparusi assured that the 2018 governorship poll presents another
opportunity for people to vote a party and personality with the
requisite academic and mental knacks to lead the state in the most
dignifying and rewarding fashions.
