NAN-HE-3
Economy
By Muhammad Bello
Sokoto, Sept. 29, 2016 (NAN) The Leader, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Garba Bello (APC- Yabo), has said that the Assembly will sustain its support for the state government.
Bello stated this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto.
He said that the legislators would ensure the success of all programmes and policies of the state government.
The lawmaker said that the support would also boost the efforts of the state government, for the revival of the economy of the state.
According to him, this is by ensuring that all leakages were blocked and diversify the economy of the state.
Bello said that this would be in the areas of agriculture and solid minerals, as well as other sources of Internally Generated Revenue.
“We in the State House of Assembly are solidly behind Gov. Aminu Tambuwal on his efforts to diversify the economy and also block all leakages.
“So, as long as these leakages are allowed, the country’s economy will continue to suffer.
“This necessitates urgent action for us to be proactive and block the leakages, for the revival of the economy,’’ he said.
“I believe when every hand is on deck toward reviving the economy, indeed things can automatically improve,’’ he said.
The lawmaker also said that the economic challenges were not peculiar to Sokoto State and Nigeria alone, but a global challenge.
Bello said that in addition to the global effect of the fall in oil price, Nigeria also had its own problems.
“Some groups feel that they could sabotage the economy by way of vandalising the oil pipelines, thereby causing the production to go down.
“Though, we have now realised and indeed President Muhammadu Buhari realised that there is need to diversify the economy,” Bello said.
He said that by producing abundant farm produce, Nigeria would be able to export its commodities to boost external reserves.
On the issue of the planned sale of government assets, the legislature said the nation still needs the assets..
“But in my own personal opinion, we should first look at how much money was invested in these assets and how much are they going to generate as well as the effects in reviving the economy.
“Moreover, does it mean that we do not need these assets later in life when things improve?
“So, we have to make value judgement and look at what are the consequences of selling or not selling such important assets, ‘’ Bello said.(NAN)
MNB/BRM/AJA
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(Edited by Bashir Mani and controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)