President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to prioritise the development of cottage industries across Nigeria’s local government areas as a sustainable strategy to alleviate economic hardship and reduce unemployment, particularly in rural communities.
This call was made by members of the 1999 Class of Governors who visited the President at the State House, Abuja, on Friday.
The delegation was led by Chief Lucky Igbinedion, former Governor of Edo State, and included prominent figures such as James Ibori (Delta), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Adamu Muazu (Bauchi), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Victor Attah (Akwa-Ibom), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Donald Duke (Cross River), and George Akume (Benue).
Addressing journalists after the closed door meeting, Chief Igbinedion highlighted that the visit provided a platform for the group to engage directly with the President, exchanging valuable insights on critical national challenges.
Security concerns
He emphasised that their discussions centered on urgent matters such as security concerns, economic difficulties, and the pressing issue of food security, aiming to contribute constructively to solutions for the country’s wellbeing.
“We came to see one of our own in the Class of ’99 and to bring up topics about the state of the nation. We are glad that Mr. President received us warmly. We spoke basically about the security situation of the nation, the economy and, of course, agriculture,” Igbinedion said.
The former Edo governor noted that President Tinubu demonstrated “deep concern”, regarding the issues presented and warmly welcomed their recommendations on how to provide relief to the people, especially those struggling with poverty in rural communities.
“He assured us that he’s looking into it. We also spoke about the stability of the naira, which he addressed appropriately,” Igbinedion added, describing the conversation as “a very fruitful deliberation.”
The delegation, in their evaluation of the administration’s current policies, recognized the progress made so far, the group urged the President to intensify efforts on economic reform, prioritising sustainable job creation over temporary relief measures.
“What is most important,” Igbinedion stressed, “is let’s create industries—especially cottage industries—that can employ people, rather than just giving out palliatives.”
Igbinedion asserted that establishing a decentralized network of micro-industries across the country’s 774 local government areas would offer a far more sustainable and lasting solution to poverty and hunger than intermittent cash handouts.
“We implored him to try as much as possible to create cottage industries in all the local governments of the Federation where people can be employed. If you give palliatives to somebody today, what happens tomorrow? If he has ₦5,000 in the morning, what is he going to do by lunchtime or dinner time? ₦5,000 cannot buy much, ” he said.
The delegation further underscored that without robust security measures in place, neither economic nor agricultural initiatives will truly flourish
“We told him, without security, there can be no progress, there can be no stability,” Igbinedion noted.
He commended President Tinubu for his openness to their perspectives and his dedication to maintaining an open-door policy that fosters ongoing dialogue on national development.
Igbinedion appreciated all we came to tell him, giving assurance that whatever suggestions and contributions being brought forward are welcome.
Lateefah Ibrahim