Kebbi’s Rice Mill: Fayose Must Learn from Performing Governors, Says Faparusi
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.