The National Assembly caucus of the northeast on Thursday cut short its recess to protest the exclusion of the region from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) of the federal government.
The caucus lamented the exclusion, stating that it was despite the area`s enormous potential in agriculture and livestock production.
At the meeting which was held at the National Assembly in Abuja, Senators and members of the House of Representatives from the six states in the northeast including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe, called for the immediate inclusion of the region into the SAPZ.
They said this would guarantee fairness and inclusivity, and would enhance the realisation of the administration`s drive to industrialise the country and create sustainable jobs.
The SAPZ programme is an initiative of the federal government meant to make available $530 million, and it covers seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
SAPZs aim to transform Nigeria’s agriculture landscape through innovation, private-sector investments, and strategic public partnerships.
The states are spread according to the regions, with the Northwest and Southwest having two processing zones each – Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo states; the South South, South East and North Central having one processing zone each.
The programme also provides for the zones to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities.
A statement issued at the end of the meeting by the caucus Chairman, Senator Danjuma Goje, said the “geographically, the North East is the largest geopolitical zone in the nation, covering nearly one-third of Nigeria’s total area of 272,451 km2 (105,194sq mi). Our potential in all aspects of the agricultural sector cannot be overemphasised.
“Our region, the North East, is known for its enormous livestock and crop growth, contributing significantly to our country’s economic well-being and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
It is against this backdrop that we are extremely worried that our zone is excluded from the SAPZ programme, regarded as a “presidential priority project” and a direct response to the longstanding challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, including poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, and low-value addition.”
The programme is jointly funded by the federal government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Recall, on Tuesday, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, had flagged off the construction of Phase 1 of the programme in Kaduna, northwest.
