Kebbi, NNPC Bio-fuel Project on Course, Says Bagudu

Ismail Adebayo in Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Governor, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has said that the MoU between Kebbi State and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for bio-fuel production is on course.

Bagudu, who spoke as a Guest Speaker at the 4th Annual National Conference of the Faculty of Management Sciences of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, said that ethanol production project by NNPC and the state would soon come on stream as everything has been put in place for its take off.

He told the gathering that already cassava, wheat, soya beans, livestock and fisheries production have continued to thrive in the state and rice mills of various categories are operating in optimum capacity in pursuance of the industrialisation drive of his administration.

Bagudu added that the agricultural revolution in Kebbi State was informed by the understanding that agriculture still remained a critical democratic strategy of ensuring the involvement of people in participatory democracy.

“We got money for farmers from other sources while we have attracted myriad of investments.

“These investments are yielding fruits as many rice farms, rice mills and other agro-enterprises are now dotting the landscape of the state,” he said.

He said that despite the strides already recorded by his government, the state is challenged by its little resources as more funds are required to bolster the development of the agricultural sector in the state.

He lauded the university for organising the conference as part of its contributions to solving societal problems.

Sokoto State Governor, Mr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was represented by the Commissioner for Animal Health, Mr. Usman Jibril, expressed hope that the conference would find solutions to Nigeria’s complex democratic challenges by coming out with a feasible blue print for the country.

The Chairman of the occasion and the Executive Secretary Police Trust Fund, Mr. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, who was represented by Mr. Shehu Usman Ladan, described the conference as not only apt but also timely in view of challenges Nigeria’s democracy is facing in the 21st century and the need to manage them.