Senator Joseph Kennedy Waku, a Chieftain Of The All Progressives Congress (APC ), in an interview with Saturday Telegraph, called on president Muhammadu Buhari's administration to intensify effort in other economic sectors not only relying on oil producing earnings so that the people of Nigeria will not have their eggs in one basket.
Waku said that Benue state, his state, have no business talking about federal allocation because of the natural land endowment that God has blessed them with.
He also expressed happiness that the current administration is targeting its own internal income generating areas to be self reliant by inviting investors on farm agricultural product." And when this is achieved, he said, "to hell with oil".
His words: "That is where the problem is and that is why the government should intensify effort in other economic sectors not only relying on oil producing earnings because the oil producing earnings have gone down and it is no longer fashionable for the government and the people of Nigeria to have their eggs in one basket .
"In Benue , we have no business talking about federal allocation because of the natural land endowment that we have, and I am happy that the current administration is targeting its own internal income generating areas to be self reliant by inviting investors on farm agricultural product.
"I think when this is done , then, to hell with oil. It is when this is done and salary is not being paid that I will have questions to ask because as soon as the government takes up this agricultural and natural endowment , people will go to farm .
"I have seen some policies from the government inviting foreign investors and what the government needs to do, is to provide land , which Benue has in abundance and within the shortest possible time, Benue would be exporting foodstuffs and become the nation ’s food basket . Whatever support the Federal Government is giving to the state for now , I am in support of that . But let that support strictly go for the purpose to which it is meant for .
On breaking up of Nigeria He said:
"Let me tell you my opinion about this country . You don’ t break up from a country on sentiment . You don ’t break up a country on tribal sentiments . If the Igbo are talking about Biafra , the South - South , the Calabars and other tribes there may not even want to join them .
"If you were talking about creating ‘ APA state ’ from Benue State , which I supported , but that would have aided marginalisation . Igede perhaps have already opted out that they don ’t want to belong and probably you find other small tribes in Idoma like the Ufia Utokon . It is not that that matters, it is how we will live together ; bring up our objectivity and differences so that we work together.
"If there is disenchantment, lack of corporate existence and marginalisation , there is a court you can go to and exhaust all the avenues for you to create an environment that when you want to talk about agitation , people will say ‘you have done what is to be done , these people have genuine cases , lets address it ’ and that may calm down nerves .
"But taking one for granted because you have oil, therefore, you want to break - up . Break up to go and drink your oil, we in Benue will go with Nigeria , break up and take our yams and begin to eat alone and let’ s see who would survive .
"It was the cocoa from the West , groundnut from the North and the palm oil from the East that gave birth to the actualisation of the oil. And in any case , how many countries are there in in the world ? We have over 200 countries in the world , but less than 21, including Japan and China that you too much talk about as the most advanced economies in the world , they have no single oil well .
"So what is the big deal , what the government of Nigeria will do is to intensity efforts in other mineral resources so that we don’ t rely on oil alone because that thing called oil is a perishable commodity and in few years to come , it may no longer be there.
"But be that as it may , they should have said ‘ our lands have been completely devastated, we don ’t have anywhere to farm, our fish are no longer alive and we want the Federal Government to do something ’ . Of course, government would listen to them , but above all , don’ t forget there is 13 per cent derivation , there is Niger Delta Development Commission , there is Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs , they have gotten enough , they should hold their people responsible for their inability to look after them .
"The Federal Government has done enough , I am not the spokesman for the government but as a citizen of this country who knows what is going on in this country , who participated in many political activities in this country , I think I am old enough to access the situation .
Culled from New Telegraph
