By Abel Leonard/ Lafia
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN says it will work with the Nasarawa state government towards developing economically viable sectors in the state.
Special Adviser to the CBN Governor on Development Finance, Mr. Anthony Ifechukwu stated this during a meeting with the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, who led a delegation to the apex bank to discuss on a range of areas of interest.
According to the Special Adviser to the CBN Governor on Development Finance, Mr. Anthony Ifechukwu, the apex bank is determined to spread development across states of the federation.
As such, he maintained that Nasarawa state is not an exception in the development plan of the financial regulator, stressing the bank’s desire to assist the state to create viable economic units for value creation.
Mr. Ifechukwu said “the CBN is ready to partner the state to work on a model that will fund agriculture, particularly irrigation farming, livestock and aquaculture, calling for effective management of the state’s security structure to secure investments”. He added.
The CBN Governor’s aid who urged the Nasarawa state government to present to the bank its concept notes on variables that would be developed into business lines also assured of working with the state Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals on environmental waste management and mining.
He commended the Governor Abdullahi Sule administration for its commitment to improve the revenue base of the state and made a case for titles for all lands, where land rents should be collected by the government to boost revenue.
Earlier, the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe informed his host that he was at the apex bank on the directive of Governor Abdullahi Sule to seek assistance to develop infrastructure in Nasarawa state, particularly roads that are economically viable, agriculture, water and health systems and for the CBN to leverage on the opportunities that abound in the mining and solid waste management sectors.
Dr. Akabe also sued for the bank’s intervention in the proposed establishment of Commodities Market Board and minerals buying centres so as to reap the full benefits of the agricultural and solid minerals sectors, just as he assured of government’s commitment to creating enabling environment for investment to thrive.
