A coalition of 40 northern youth groups, Unified Northern Nigeria Youths Forum, had said that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has revolutionised Northern Nigeria through his agricultural intervention, which the region takes as its cash-cow.
The group, however, urged the nation’s politicians to put a technocrat such as Emefiele who they said has succeeded in the private sector before his appointment as the apex bank governor.
One of the leaders of the Group, Muhammad Salisu Danlami spoke at a 2023 stakeholders consultation meeting in Bauchi.
He said: “We have tried many politicians in the past, what did they do to bring development in our region? Agriculture is our main occupation in the North but this man has spent hugely on our farmers. We can see what is coming out from rice in Nigeria, see Kebbi, Katsina, Bauchi and others. They produce thousands of tons of rice.
“He has released billions of Naira for local production of wheat and Nigeria will soon become one of the major producers. We are saying if someone like Emefiele becomes the president of Nigeria, you can imagine the kind of development that will come.”
Also, Bauchi Coordinator, Anas Ahmad, said farmers in the state have benefited from Emefiele’s achievements. “Please note that, Dr. Godwin Emefiele is fully accepted here in Bauchi State because of his numerous intervention programmes, which include; establishment of NIRSAL Northeast Headquarters in Bauchi, making it easy for our teaming young entrepreneurs and small business owners to access loans and finance their businesses.
“Over 20,000 rice farmers have benefited from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme in Bauchi State. Under Dr. Emefiele’s watch CBN offered N5.7bn loan to 10,000 Bauchi State vegetable farmers. 225,000 Bauchi farmers are benefiting from NIRSAL’s new field structure.
“15,000 Bauchi State wheat farmers benefited from CBN’s intervention. Thousands of Bauchi State youths benefited from the COVID-19 loan which enabled them to revive their business,” Anas said.
