The Senator representing the Kwara Central
Senatorial District in the National Assembly,
Senator Saliu Mustapha has advocated for a
refocus of the priority of the local government
councils in Nigeria to agricultural
development.
While speaking in Ilorin on Friday at the
dinner and awards night of the
Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union
of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State chapter,
Senator Mustapha called for constitutional
amendments to reassign the core
responsibilities of the LGAs to agriculture,
underscoring the vital role this sector could
play in revolutionizing the country’s economic
development.
Represented by his aide and a senior lawyer,
Abdulkareem Alabi, Senator Mustapha, who
also serves as the Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Agriculture and Rural
Development, stressed that agriculture should
no longer be viewed as a secondary issue or
left solely to private enterprise. Instead, he
urged for a nationwide strategy where local
governments are constitutionally mandated to
focus on agriculture as their primary function.
‘Agriculture is the backbone of our economy
and it holds the key to addressing
unemployment, food insecurity and rural
developments.
For too long, our local governments have
been distracted by peripheral responsibilities.
It is time we refocus their energies on what
really matters – agriculture and rural
developments’ he said.
The federal lawmaker argued that LGAs,
being closer to the grassroots are in a prime
position to facilitate agricultural development
and rural transformation, both of which are
crucial for food security and economic growth.
According to Senator Mustapha, Nigeria’s
reliance on oil revenues has not only left the
country vulnerable to global market
fluctuations but also stunted the growth of its
agricultural sector, which remains the largest
employer of labour in the country. By
institutionalizing agriculture as the central
focus of LGAs, the senator believes Nigeria
can unlock vast economic potentials, improve
livelihoods, and ensure sustainable
development.
‘In India as in Brazil, the local government
plays a crucial role in agriculture. Brazilian
municipalities are deeply involved in
managing rural extension services, promoting
sustainable agricultural practices, and
ensuring that smallholder farmers have
access to resources. This model has
contributed to Brazil becoming one of the
world’s largest agricultural producers,
particularly in soybeans, sugar, and beef’, he
said.
Senator Mustapha noted that these
international models demonstrate how
empowering local governments to prioritize
agriculture can yield significant dividends. ‘We
have seen how countries like India and Brazil
have transformed their economies through
localized agricultural development. There is
no reason Nigeria cannot replicate these
successes if we realign our focus’ he said.
