James Bala Nggilari
By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
Former Governor of Adamawa State, Barrister James Bala Nggilari and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the use of voters register while distributing subsidy removal palliatives across the country.
James Nggilari who gave the advice in a telephone interview with a group of Journalists in Bauchi over the weekend, said that by using voters register, the palliatives will reach the targeted persons.
Barrister Nggilari who commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making effort to salvage the economy of the country from collapsing, said that the hardship been experienced by Nigerians will be a thing of the past.
“In the past, all genuine attempts by previous presidents to make sure these palliatives gets to those who matter had failed. People had compiled all kinds of lists, fake lists that have taken money”, he lamented.
The former Governor opined that the most easiest anomalies in terms of palliative disbursement by federal or state governments is to go down to the units and make use of voters register.
“Take the voters register in every unit because it’s the best document that can be a guide on who should get the benefit and not allowing every person to compile a list. Voters register is the most authentic”, he observed
“Palliative should go down to the units and those to benefit should be people in the voters register because it cut across all political parties”, he said.
“If we do that, I am recommending it to Mr President, it will be good for this country. Whatever type of palliative, now or in the future, it should be disbursed along the line of voters register, it should be at the unit because all of us belong to a unit”, Barr. Nggilari pointed out.
On the planned procurement of vehicles to cushion the effect of transportation, the former governor, advised the federal government on the need to revamp vehicle assembling plants such as Styr Nigeria limited situated in Bauchi.
“You will recall that once upon a time, this country thrived with so many companies. In Bauchi, Northeast of the country, there was Styr Nigeria Limited, a vehicle assembling plant. They were producing tractors, vehicles, among others, let them be revamped”, he added .
“I want companies like this coming into Nigeria to invest, let them be invited to bring their equipments and revamp the company, they can do that in the next six months. They must come with compressed natural gas engines that are cheap to run”, the ex-Governor said.
Barr. Nggilari described the plan of president Tinubu to spend billions on farming to make food affordable for Nigerians as commendable.
He however, advised the federal government to ensure that things to be grown have comparative advantage to the country.
“For instance, in northern part of Borno they produce beens, that aspect should be harnessed so that they can produce more, such that we will have plenty for domestic use and even export”, he said.
He added: “in Adamawa, we can produce rice in large quantity, Nigeria is blessed with large arable land, other states have their own peculiarities, we can use it to harness the agricultural sector in Nigeria”.
