Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has restated the importance of peace for achieving any meaningful development in the country.
Vice President Shettima stated this today when a delegation of the Hadeija Emirate Council led by the Emir of Hadeija and Chairman of Jigawa State Traditional Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje, paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Stressing the importance of peace for national development, the Vice President stated further that peace was a major prequisite for national development, noting that Kano and Jigawa States have been largely peaceful and are “islands of peace in an unending ocean of poverty, insecurity and depravity”.
The Vice President commended the Hadeija Emirate Council for a strong support to the Tinubu/Shettima Adminstration observing that “as at the time we went to Hadeija, we were not in power and His Royal Highness was unequivocal in his support to us. It was a huge support and was anchored on the fact that our team was the best for the nation.”
Vice President Shettima who lauded the Hadeija Emirate for its developmental strides, disclosed that “when I traveled from Kano to Hadeija, it was one of my happiest moment. I saw development coming up, I saw universities springing up, I saw a rice mill by Aliko Dangote, I saw so many development efforts.”
On the issue of the incessant flooding being experienced in Jigawa State, the Vice President pledged that the Federal Government will soon address the challenge of flooding facing the State because of its negative impact on agriculture and food production.
“I want to convey to you the message from President Bola Tinubu that the challenges of the place will be adequately captured in the next budget”, he stated.
While speaking on the high capacity of the State for wheat production, VP Shettima said, “in the next programme, we want to cultivate a minimum of 100,000 hectares in the wheat belt, so nearly 50,000 hectares will be devoted to Jigawa State as it is one of the few states which grow wheat in the belt comprising Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Yobe and to Borno. I think Jigawa is our food basket.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Hadeija congratulated President Bola Tinubu and the Vice President on their successful inauguration and promised their continued support for the government. While thanking the Vice President for the appointment of one of their sons as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, he prayed God’s guidance and direction for the new Administration.
In the delegation of Hadeija Emirate Council were members of the 10th National Assembly from Hadeija and other very prominent title holders of the Council.