Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), has explained the concerns being expressed by northerners about the proposed tax reforms is largely due to the fact that they are economically ill prepared.
The federal lawmaker said this while delivering a speech at the Sardauna memorial day in Kaduna, where she also highlighted the importance of education and cultural preservation.
This was contained in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Israel Arogbonlo, in Abuja.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said, "The only reason why the North is jittery about the Tax Reform Bills is because we are ill-prepared. If we were generating 3.6 trillion from one agricultural product, would we be bothered about the reforms?
“Hence, We must task our leaders with developmental mindsets to stir up the entrepreneurial ecosystems so our lands and factories can be productive once again. Let’s act from a position of economic abundance for our region and country at large.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan recalled that in 1959, Nigeria's groundnut export to the UK was valued at £27 million, equivalent to ₦3.6 trillion today, while current groundnut exports are only $3 million.
She said, “In the year 1959, Nigeria groundnut export to United Kingdom alone stood at £27m which has an equivalent purchasing power of ₦3.6 trillion naira today.
“The residue from the groundnut’s oil extraction was also exported to the UK as livestock feeds. Today, Nigeria’s groundnut exports sits at distant $3m.”
She reiterated that the Northern cotton industry, once vital to the UK market, has also diminished, as it had previously generated significant revenue and employment.
According to her, “The Northern Nigeria’s cotton industry shaped the Liverpool cloth market in London, UK. between the 50s and 70s while the Kaduna Textile Mill flourished creating thousands of jobs.
“Today, the cotton industry in Nigeria is pretty much non existent while this same industry generates $21 billion annually. That’s the thriving economy Sardauna helped create and left for us to improve upon.”
She described the revitalisation of Northern Nigeria's socio-economic and cultural heritage as the best way to immortalize the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
Akpoti-Uduaghan enjoined northerners to embrace the late Sardauna’s altruistic approach to governance which she noted led the region to prosperity in the 1950s.
She urged northern leaders and civil society to collaborate with other Nigerians to help achieve these goals.
The event was attended by dignitaries including the Governor of Kaduna, Senator Uba Sani, represented by his Special Assistant on Internal Party Affairs, Abdulazeez Ishak, Chairman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, and Major Hamza Al-Mustapha.
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