Politics
Ombugadu’s Journey to Asia: A Quest for Economic and Social Reforms in Nasarawa
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Our world faces immense challenges, from poverty to climate change, that require bold actions to mitigate. But true progress emerges not from political posturing or partisanship but through the power of ideas and partnerships.
This truth drives an ambitious new initiative, passionately undertaken by Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu, who travelled with a team of interests from Nasarawa State recently on an inspirational three nation journey to Thailand, China and Vietnam in pursuit of knowledge and ideas to transform the lives of the people back home.
The team toured factories, farms, and markets across the three Asian nations to gain first-hand experience of their development models that is fast putting people of that region out of poverty and underdevelopment.
“We are on a mission to acquire knowledge that can be replicated in our state to create jobs, enhance food production, and improve the living standards of our people,” Ombugadu said.
One highlight of the trip was a visit to a massive agricultural facility near Bangkok, where the latest technologies are deployed to achieve high crop yields organically.
“I was amazed by their level of mechanization. If our farmers can adopt such modern methods, it would lead to a boom in production and food security,” noted Ombugadu
The team also toured industrial parks and special economic zones in China, with advanced infrastructure that supports manufacturing enterprises.
“With the right policies and infrastructure, we can also build industrial clusters that will employ thousands of our youth.”
There were also useful lessons on governance from Vietnam’s model of grassroots participation and social welfare policies. “We saw first-hand how the Communist Party engages citizens at the lowest levels. This can inspire more inclusive governance,”
The over one month ten 10 days Asian tour has equipped the delegation with many insights that can now be adapted to local realities. “We will waste no time in implementing policies and projects inspired by this trip within our sectors and control even at the private levels. Certainly, the future is bright for our people,”
The trip, which was inspired by a desire to enhance the lives of the people of Nasarawa State,” said Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu in an exclusive interview, was also to gain knowledge and forge partnerships that will uplift our communities through economic empowerment, educational advancement, and improved healthcare.”
Ombugadu highlighted meetings with government officials and business leaders in all three countries as pivotal in shaping a “back to work plan” as a pruvate initiative. “In Thailand, we met with agriculture experts and discovered innovative farming techniques that maximize crop yields. We plan to implement these in Nasarawa state to boost food production,” he said.
The trip to China focused on manufacturing and technology. “We toured factories and met with tech entrepreneurs in Shenzhen. Our goal is to replicate their success by establishing technology hubs and vocational centers through our foundation,” Ombugadu revealed.
Healthcare was the emphasis in Vietnam. “We were impressed by their community-based preventative care model. “we adapt this to provide quality, affordable healthcare access points across the state in line with our current enrolment of people under National Health Insurance plan,” the PDP leader explained.
Ombugadu described the trip as an eye-opening learning experience. “By benchmarking global best practices in agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and healthcare, we can eventually develop policies and programs that create jobs and opportunities for the people,” he said.
The former 2023 PDP governorship candidate explained that “This blueprint paves an ambitious yet achievable path towards economic prosperity. The knowledge gained will help us implement solutions that improve lives. “Our trip proves that by working together, we can build a brighter future for Nasarawa State.”
He said the primary objectives of the trips were to explore opportunities for agricultural mechanization, establish partnerships for agricultural diversification and value addition, Investigate sustainable development practices and environmental conservation techniques.
Ombugadu and his team also highlighted key findings and potential benefits for empowerment through agricultural mechanization and self reliance.
He further explained that the secret behind Vietnamese agricultural mechanization strategy rested on its significant strides in agricultural mechanization, particularly in rice production. “The rate of mechanization for land preparation is 80%, and for rice threshing and harvesting, is 50%.
“The Vietnamese government has implemented policies to support agricultural mechanization, such as the “Build New Rural” program, which could serve as a model for Nasarawa State.”
At a live event, Ombugadu stated that the event showcased advanced agricultural machinery and technologies, including laser-controlled land levelling, mechanized direct seeding, and drones for fertilizer and pesticide application
“These technologies can be adapted to Nasarawa State to improve agricultural productivity and efficiency thereby
empowering close to or more than 20,000 Nasarawa farmers through a policy of subsidisation of power tilling tools, mini tractors, as well as implementing agricultural best practices ro achieve technology transfer.”
According to the PDP candidate China-ASEAN Agricultural Cooperation has established agricultural experimental stations in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Vietnam, to improve cultivation efficiency and promote sustainable practices.
He added that collaborating with these institutions and sectors could facilitate the transfer to enhance local traditional agricultural practices.
In interms of Agricultural Diversification and Value Addition, Ombugadu said Thailand-Vietnam Agriculture have a history of successful agricultural collaboration, particularly in rice production and export, noting that establishing similar bilateral partnerships could help Nasarawa State diversify its agricultural output and improve value addition processes.
“China has developed advanced techniques in seedling breeding, water and fertilizer management, and pest control, which have been successfully implemented in ASEAN countries.”
“Adopting these techniques in Nasarawa State could lead to higher crop yields and better quality produce.”
In terms of sustainable development and environmental conservation, Ombugadu is of the opinion that renewable energy could be the solutions with Vietnam’s focus on smart and environmentally friendly technologies, such as efficient irrigation systems and renewable energy solutions, aligns with the goals of the “Back to Work Plan.”
Implementing these solutions in Nasarawa State, he said, could provide sustainable energy sources for agricultural operations in rural communities.
He added that the use of efficient water management and irrigation systems demonstrated in Vietnam can address water scarcity challenges anywhere it is located with emphasis on agroforestry and soil conservation saying China’s emphasis on sustainable and resilient agriculture, including agroforestry and soil conservation techniques, can be replicated in Nasarawa State to restore degraded lands and promote sustainable land management.
Enhancing healthcare access through NHIS, building on our previous success, he said would foster partnerships with corporations and organisations, promoting investments and job creation for youth and women.
He said his blueprint will serve as a roadmap for translating international engagements into tangible and transformative initiatives that will drive economic growth, food security, and sustainable development in the private and community sectors locally.
The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has described the Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) Presidential Candidate, Seyi Makinde, as clueless and a total embarrassment to the people of the State, saying “for failing to address hunger in Oyo State despite increased funds from the federation account, Makinde has shown that he is more than clueless.”
The Campaign Organisation, in a statement by Bisi Oladele, Director of Media and Publicity, said Governor Makinde’s admittance of more money from the federation account to Oyo State was a confirmation of the success of the economic reform policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Makinde had admitted in Lafia, Nasarawa State on Monday, that Oyo State received more money from the federation account, but added that he has not been able to reduce hunger in the State.
The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, in a statement on Tuesday, said Makinde’s statement, though a function of his level of intellectual capacity, is a sad and clear reality of what Oyo State has been going through in terms of purposeful governance in the last seven years.
If through the ingenuity and purposeful leadership of President Tinubu, Oyo State allocation from the federation account has increased tremendously, should it also be the duty of the President to ensure judicious use of the money?
If you have acknowledged that monthly, you have been getting more money from the federation account, who are you expecting to come and help you to fight hunger in your State? Is it President Tinubu?
Most importantly, this same Governor Makinde has deliberately refused to allow local governments in Oyo State to function. He has criminally been everywhere, opposing local government autonomy so as to continue to spend both the State and local council funds.
Therefore, for the people of Oyo State, waiting a day longer to stop the extension of Makinde’s cluelessness beyond 2027 is what must not be allowed to happen and on February 6, 2027, the governor and the man through whom he desires to extend his clueless government will be rejected by the people.
Bisi Oladele
Director, Media and Publicity
Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has said the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 is critical to sustaining development and reducing poverty in Northern Nigeria.
Yilwatda made the assertion on Monday in Abuja while receiving a group of members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who defected to the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The delegation was led by Princess Aslam Aliyu, while an ADC candidate from Zamfara State, Hon. Mohammed Hassan, spoke on behalf of the defectors.
Yilwatda warned that reversing some of the Federal Government’s current economic policies could worsen poverty in the North, particularly if funding for infrastructure and social programmes is affected.
Defending the Tinubu administration’s record, the APC chairman cited ongoing and completed road projects across the region, as well as government initiatives in gas development, fertiliser production, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and student loans.
He particularly highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), claiming that a significant number of its beneficiaries are from Northern Nigeria.
Yilwatda also defended the administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, questioning how a return to the subsidy regime would be financed without affecting ongoing development projects.
“The Hausa radio stations tell us that they will return the subsidy. I keep on asking, how are they going to return the subsidy?” he said.
The APC chairman asked whether restoring the subsidy would require the Federal Government to suspend road construction and other infrastructure projects in the North.
“You mean they will stop all these road constructions because they want to return the subsidy? Because there will be no money for this construction,” he said.
He argued that programmes such as gas and fertiliser initiatives, CNG projects and student loans could also face funding challenges if the subsidy regime was restored.
“The beneficiaries of the student loan, most of them are from the North. We have more and more of them in this part of the country. Should we stop it?” he asked.
Yilwatda further argued that the subsidy removal should be viewed against the financial difficulties faced by several states before the Tinubu administration assumed office in 2023.
According to him, some Northern states had struggled to pay workers’ salaries and settle outstanding gratuities, warning that a reversal of current economic policies could worsen the situation.
“And most of our people who can’t afford school fees should go back as wheelbarrow pushers in the villages?” he asked.
“Should we say our state should go back again? They can’t pay salaries, they can’t pay gratuities… increase poverty again in the North.”
The APC chairman also dismissed allegations that the Tinubu administration had neglected the North, citing several major road projects as evidence of federal investment in the region.
Among the projects he mentioned were the Abuja-Kano and Kano-Maiduguri roads, as well as the Jos-Akwanga, Sokoto-Kebbi and Kano-Daura corridors.
Yilwatda said work on the Abuja-Kano road was nearing completion, while construction on the Kano-Maiduguri corridor had also recorded significant progress.
He maintained that the administration’s ongoing investments and programmes demonstrated its commitment to the development of the region.
Meanwhile, the defectors pledged their support for the APC and promised to mobilise their supporters for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Hassan said their decision to leave the ADC was aimed at beginning what he described as a new phase of political service.
“We are not here merely to change the political platform, but to begin a new chapter of service and a great contribution to our people by supporting Baba Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda 2027,” he said.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has accused the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Aisha Binani, of backing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Lawal made the allegation on Monday in a statement posted on his official Facebook page.
The former SGF, who recently joined the NDC, claimed that Binani was supporting Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), instead of the NDC’s Peter Obi.
His allegation followed reports that six NDC governorship candidates from the North-East had rejected his appointment as the party’s leader in the North-East and North-Central zones.
Lawal said the reported opposition was being driven by a female governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, whom he described as a “pretender” to the party’s ticket.
He, however, said the development did not concern him, arguing that his appointment was a decision of the national leadership of the party.
According to him, the NDC governorship candidates in Gombe and Taraba states had contacted him to dissociate themselves from the reported protest.
Lawal also maintained that Nigeria’s political future in 2027 should revolve around a Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket.
He further pledged that the 2027 election would be conducted without manipulation, warning that those he described as “moles” would be rendered ineffective.
“My attention has been drawn to a trending story on social media to the effect that six so-called gubernatorial candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress are protesting my joining the party and my appointment as the leader of the party in the North-Eastern Zone of the party.
“I have it on good authority that the charade is being led and organised by a female pretender to the governorship candidacy of Adamawa State.
“It is important to note that this matter of protest is of no worry to me. I consider it to be a matter for the national leadership of the party, which recruited me into the party and declared me the National Leader of the party in the North-East and North-Central zones of the party.
“No formal offer was made to me, nor did I request to be so appointed before the announcement was made. I had accepted it in good faith as a mark of respect to Senator Dickson, Mr Obi and Kwankwaso, all of whom I highly respect and to whom I could not say no,” he wrote.
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