Nigeria President Mohammadu Buahri has said that all assets seized from corrupt persons in and out of the country would be sold soonest and the proceeds would be paid into the coffers of the government for public use. He made the disclosure in an interactive section with community leaders held at the Coronation Hall, government house Kano state north western Nigeria on the second day of his official visit to the state.
“Seized or forfeited assets will be sold as quickly as possible and the money saved in government accounts to be used for welfare of Nigerians especially youths for whom he is worried about their future,” he said. He said the decision was to forestall what happened after his regime in 1985 where all assets that were seized from corrupt person were promptly returned to them.
He said his administration will continue to pursue corruption to the later but confessed that it remained the major headache when he took over the government. Based on request by the Emir of Kano Mohammadu Sanusi II for the federal government to limit the importation of cheap items to Nigeria, including Rice which is now greatly produced in Nigeria by farmers, the President replied “that the law banning most of those things still remain but further effort will be made for the law to be enforced especially along the northern borders.”
On behalf of the Business community, the Managing Director of BUA Group Abdulsamad Isiaka Rabiu commended the Federal government on “the FOREX policy that allow Cement manufactures to have easy access to foreign Exchange to buy needed machineries.” He said the policy is saving about 4 billion dollars annually for the country.
The Managing Director of Agriculture Division of Dangote Group, Sani Dangote commended the Federal government on the expansionist policy of the government on agriculture which he said has enable farmers to begin to handsomely reap benefit from the sector.
He however, suggested that effort should be made for the farmers to move from subsistence to commercial level for further mass production. Responding to other demands, the president promised that the Kano – Kaduna – Abuja Federal highway will be rehabilitated to stem the tide of accident and vehicular break down on the route as demanded by stakeholders.
He said effort will be made to complete the Mambilla hydro power project, which was abandoned for many years in order to supply more power to the national grid. On the high percentage of illicit drugs consumed in the state, the president said he will encourage the Anti-narcotic agency in Nigeria to take drastic action on the development to protect innocent youths.
Other areas of request by the community includes: the construction of the trans – Sahara highway, legal restriction of movement of cattle herders from other countries especially those under ECOWAS among others. Kano state government on its part requested for Federal government assistance through loan to enable them improve quality of seedlings in the state for good seasonal harvest.
The president later left the interactive section for the inspection of Gerwa Oil Mill, Kano, which is the largest oil mill in Sub- sahara Africa among others.
