N/East National Assembly Caucus Demands Zone’s Inclusion In SAPZ Programme
The Northeast caucus in the two chambers of the National Assembly has demanded the inclusion of the zone in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiated by the federal government.
The construction of Phase 1 of the SAPZ was flagged off on Tuesday in Kaduna by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Kaduna.
Funding for the $530m project is being provided jointly by the Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been selected for the programme. The North had Kaduna and Kano states captured, while Ogun and Oyo states were picked for the South West. The South South, South East and North Central got one processing zone each.
The North East federal lawmakers, led by Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), have kicked against the exclusion of all six states in the zone from the programme.
Briefing newsmen shortly after a meeting held on Thursday at the National Assembly, Goje, on behalf of others, lamented the expulsion of the zone, “despite its enormous agricultural potential cutting across all sector value chains.”
The legislators appealed for the immediate inclusion of the North East zone in the SAPZ programme, not just for fairness and inclusivity, but for the actualisation of the lofty ideals of the present administration to industrialise Nigeria’s agricultural sector and create sustainable jobs in the country.
“In view of the seriousness of this matter, the members of our caucus, even though the parliament is on recess, cut short their holidays to attend this meeting and express our reservations about our region’s exclusion from the programme.
“Despite its enormous agricultural potential, the North East is conspicuously missing from the list of states allocated the processing zones.
“SAPZs aim to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through innovation, private-sector investments, and strategic public partnerships.
The zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses and expand rural economic opportunities.
“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 (105,194 sq 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,” a prepared text by Goje read.
N/East National Assembly Caucus Demands Zone’s Inclusion In SAPZ Programme is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
