Musa Ahmed Mohammed is the Accountant General of Nasarawa State; he was the speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly from 2007 to 2015. In this interview with NATHANIEL GBAORON, to mark the 28 years anniversary of Nasarawa State and Nigeria’s 64th Independence, the Baraden Nasarawa spoke, on many issues, including how Nasarawa State is experiencing industrialisation under Governor Abdulahi Sule and Nigeria’s 64 years journey as a sovereign state. Excerpts:
You were a number three citizen in Nasarawa State at some point in its journey, at 28, do you think the state has lived up to the expectations of its founding fathers?
Certainly, the state has recorded a lot of transformation beyond expectations compared to its peers that were created at the same time. There is no doubt that the journey has been rough and tortious having to start from the scratch after investing both human and material resources in the development of Plateau State.
As you are aware, the capital of the then new state was just a local government headquarters with no tangible structure to propel its take off. However, from the first military ruler to the second and the civilian administrations the state has evolved over the years to become one of the frontliners in economic, agricultural development and even industrialisation among other key areas. So, we can proudly beat our chests to say that we have transcend the expectations of our founding fathers 28 years down the line.
What do you think is responsible for the transformation you talked about?
First of all, we have been blessed with leaders who have the foresight and commitment to develop the state. Apart from the two military administrators, the civilian leaders we were privileged to have are patriots with the love of the state in their heart. Among them include founding members who were at the forefront of the struggle for the creation of the state. They are also the reasons why we are where we are today as politically conscious people who have left indelible marks in the development of the country.
Secondly, the state has been blessed with a people who love each other despite the diversity across ethnic and religious lines. A people who put the development of the state first above all other considerations. It may interest you to note that Nasarawa is peculiar in many ways, and hardly can be found anywhere in the country. The state has the highest number of ethnic groups or indigenous tribes in the country. Each of the tribes with its own culture and way of life. Despite this complexity and diversity, the people continue to live peacefully. Nasarawa can also be said to be a country within a country with various tribes find in all parts of the country converging and living peacefully with themselves and their hosts. This atmosphere of oneness created and entrenched by our leaders over the years are also part of the reasons why the state has been able to develop.
Thirdly, the state is also highly endowed with rich arable land for agricultural production and abundant mineral deposits. The agricultural production has aided the growth of the state over the years with massive production of all manners of crops. You will agree with me that Nasarawa is the largest producer of agricultural products in this country. You can do your findings. Forget that Benue State claimed to be the food basket of the nation. They may have the basket, but we own the content of that basket. Our leaders having been aware of this agricultural potential put up the structure, built the manpower base and created the enabling environment that put us at the top pedestal in the sector. The College of Agric established in Lafia provided the manpower base for agricultural transformation. Beyond that, all the tertiary institutions established, be it the state polytechnic, the College of Education Akwanga, and later the state university in Keffi, have full-fledged faculty and department of agriculture. This innovation has greatly assisted the state to develop the agricultural base and foundation which enabled us to achieve the successes we are celebrating today.
Coming to the ongoing development in the solid mineral subsector, you know the story already. As media men you have written and read about the unparallel transformation that has not only put the state on the world map through the ingenuity of the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Sule, but the country as well.
You will agree with me that Governor Sule has changed the development narrative in the state by laying solid industrialisation foundation while providing an enabling environment for investment. Industrialisation is a faster route to wealth creation and poverty eradication because of its multiplier effects in the value-added chain.
Having worked in big and notable conglomerates abroad and in Nigeria, coupled with his background as a top flight engineer, His Excellency Governor Abdulahi Sule understand this truism better. And he has gone about laying the foundation needed to spur the industrial revolution around the area the state has the comparative advantage. That’s in agriculture and solid mineral. In agriculture, he created an enabling environment which ensure that big names in agro-allied industries established serious presence to take advantage of the state’s abundant agricultural raw materials.
Some of the big names that established industries in the state include Olam Nigeria Ltd, Dangote integrated Sugar Refinery, Azama Nigeria Ltd, flour Mills Nigeria, Bionas Group and ABS Blueprint Consortium, amongst others. He also encouraged and empowered smaller enterprises and businesses owned majorly to thrive. Today, local rice is being grown and processed in the state. Ditto, other crops of immense nutritional and commercial value. The initiative has also led to serious investment in livestock, fish, chicken farming among others.
You mentioned earlier that solid mineral launched the state into international limelight as key investor hub; could you shed more light on this?
Like I said earlier, one of the selling points of Governor Sule’s administration is the ongoing massive exploration of different solid mineral deposits in the state. I think the significant breakthrough came through lithium with a number of foreign firms springing up due to the enabling environment created by the governor for the investors to come in. You will recall that recently, President Bola Tinubu through the country’s number three citizen, Senator Godswill Akpabio, commissioned a multimillion-dollar lithium processing factory built by a Chinese firm, Avatar New Energy Materials Company Limited, and located in Udege community of Nasarawa LGA. From the information at our disposal the factory has the capacity to produce 4,000 metric tonnes of lithium concentrate per day, with an expansion plan to achieve annual target of 300,000 metric tonnes per annum within the next two years. This is indeed significant in many ways considering the jobs that will be created and expected revenue for the state.
Aside this, three other companies are presently working to prospect over 25,000 tonnes per day of lithium in the two LGAs of Nasarawa and Karu. They include Landmark Lithium Mining Company, which is targeting 3,000 tonnes of lithium a day; RSIN, which is working to process 4,500 tonnes in Karshi; and Ganfeng Lithium Mining Company, which performed the groundbreaking of its $250m factory that will process 18,000 metric tonnes per day in Endo village in the Udege Development Area in Nasarawa LGA. These are massive investments and catalysts for economic and industrial development of the state. Because of this feat the President has singled out the governor for praises, and has asked others to draw from Nasarawa experience and inspiration by luring investors to their domains.
We learnt that there’s discovery of oil and gas in the state; is this also part of the governor’s initiative?
It certainly is. Having come from that background, Governor Sule has played a major role in getting the federal government through NNPCL to initiate an exploration activities in Keana and Obi local government areas. The exploration led to discovery of oil in commercial quantity in the two local government areas. Already, the Federal Government has commenced the drilling of Ebenyi-A Oil Well in Obi from where it planned to move into Keana.
What do you think stands Governor Sule out from his peers aside from the state’s comparative advantage you mentioned earlier?
His background and experiences which I mentioned earlier. And most importantly, he came into governance prepared, and also developed a blueprint which has guided his operations and decision made so far. It is called the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS) document which encapsulated enduring systems and business models that would tackle the root causes of poverty in the state, launched at the onset of his administration in 2019.
What is your advice to the people of the state as they celebrate the 28 anniversary?
They should pray for the country and the state as well as the founding fathers. They should also support the incumbent administration to continue the good work and expand the development horizon. They should also continue to live in peace and harmony with one another because without peace the state can never develop. They’re all witnesses to the transformation going on in the state. The infrastructural development in the area of road networks in both rural and urban centers too numerous to mention; the investment in education, health and other sectors were able to take place because of the peace we are all enjoying across the state.
Away from Nasarawa State, what are your thoughts on Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary?
As we celebrate our 64th Independence Anniversary, I am filled with a sense of pride and hope for the future. We have come a long way since 1960, and it’s amazing to see how far we’ve progressed as a nation.
How do you think President Tinubu’s policies are impacting Nigeria’s economy?
President Tinubu’s policies are truly transformative! He’s implementing reforms that address past missteps and set us on the path to becoming an economic superpower. Despite global economic challenges, he remains focused on reviving our economy and promoting sustainable growth.
One notable initiative is the presidential initiative to transition from fossil fuels to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for vehicles and machinery. This is reducing transportation costs by up to 60percent, creating jobs, and attracting significant investment. He’s also prioritising macroeconomic stability, tax reform, and diversifying government revenues.
How do you think these initiatives will benefit the people of Nigeria?
These initiatives will have a direct impact on the lives of Nigerians. By reducing transportation costs and creating jobs, President Tinubu is putting more money in people’s pockets and creating avenues for sustainable prosperity. His focus on macroeconomic stability and tax reform will also promote economic growth and development.
What message would you like to share with Nigerians on this Independence Day?
As we celebrate our independence, I urge all Nigerians to remain patient and resilient. We’ve faced numerous challenges, but we always emerge stronger. Let’s continue to work together towards a united and prosperous Nigeria.
