TheCable

​Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AFDB), has called on Nigerian leaders to emulate Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state.

Adesina was speaking at an AfBD partnership with the Sokoto state government to establish an agro-industrial park for the north-west geo-political zone.

As a starting point to the realisation of the overall objective of the project, Adesina said cotton production would be given priority attention in order to resuscitate the ailing textile industries in the region.

“We hope to partner with the Sokoto government to develop drugs and other solutions to tackle the disturbing problem of malnutrition and stunting growth in children,” Adesina was quoted by Imam Imam, Tambuwal’s spokesman, to have said.

“This is critical because malnourished or stunted children would be mentally or intellectually challenged and cannot contribute to the building of a new African society.

“It is heartening that you have not departed from inclusive and consensus building approach which made your tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives worthy of emulation by leaders and aspiring leaders.”

He urged Tambuwal to mobilise governments of neighboring states to key into the idea of the agro-industrial zone, saying it would better serve the interest of the nation if the governments enter into partnership with AfDB as a collective.

Adesina urged Tambuwal to sensitise and mobilise Sokoto youths to key into the bank’s new initiative ‘Youth in Agriculture’, under which about 1,000 youths in each state of the federation would be supported to take to agriculture and make it a life-long endeavour.