By Baron Ike
The federal government has been urged to relax the order banning rice and vehicular importation through the land borders as he highlighted the hardship that had posed to Nigerians.
Sultan of Sokoto, SaadAbubakar III made the appeal on Thursday, March 9 in Sokoto when he played host to the visiting Acting President Yemi Osinbajo who was on official visit to the state.
Said Sultan: “We will continue to serve as the voices of the voiceless and in this direction, we are calling on the federal government to look into some recent policies that will further tighten the noose on the necks of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are already going through difficult times and policies should not be taken to further aggravate the suffering of Nigerians.
“This will also avoid disharmony between the government and the governed.”
“The policies should be relaxed,” the Sultan spoke particularly of the ban on rice and vehicle imports through the land borders.
Explaining that some of the policies were “still ill-timed,”Abubakar III pledged to provide sustained support, prayers and wise counsel to the government.
He added: “We will always work for the peace, unity, stability and the even socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
“We are also assuring the government of our sustained total support, loyalty and commitment. We would work towards the spiritual and temporal development of Nigerians.”
He congratulated Osinbajo at 60, welcoming him jocularly to “the club of the old people.”
Earlier, Osinbajobrought to the fore the importance of Sokoto State in the affairs of Nigeria and pledged that the government would continue to pursue development through investment in agriculture and solid minerals to diversify the economy.
His words: “The development of agriculture and agro-allied value chains are key in this direction.
“Sokoto State is in the forefront of agricultural revolution to bring back Nigeria on the path of sustainable development.
“Agencies of the federal government would continue to facilitate trade and commerce in the nation.”