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Senator Saliu Mustapha is making waves in Kwara State with his groundbreaking Alubarika 1.0 Agricultural and Human Capital Development Empowerment Programme.
This initiative has empowered over 2,500 constituents, providing them with the tools and resources needed to scale up food production and drive national economic growth.
Mustapha’s programme aligns perfectly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on agriculture as a vehicle for economic transformation and food security.
The senator’s intervention reinforces his political clout as a lawmaker actively implementing policies rather than just advocating for them.
Senator Mustapha’s empowerment initiative, held at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority’s premises in Ilorin, was not an ordinary constituency project.
It was a well-calculated political strategy to position himself as Tinubu’s key ally in Kwara Central, reinforcing his relevance within the ruling APC, and strengthening the party’s grassroots presence in the North-Central region.
The presence of top political figures, including Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno; and APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, underscores the political significance of the event.
Their attendance was not just ceremonial, it was a nod of approval from the Tinubu-led administration, recognising Mustapha as a reliable political ally in the implementation of the government’s economic agenda.
Also, at the heart of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is a focus on agriculture as a vehicle for economic transformation and food security. The president has continuously emphasised that Nigeria must move away from dependence on food imports and embrace local food production to ensure self-sufficiency. Mustapha’s intervention aligns perfectly with this vision, reinforcing his political clout as a lawmaker actively implementing policies rather than just advocating for them.
His empowerment programme directly supports Tinubu’s agriculture revolution by providing farmers with the tools and resources needed to scale up food production.
Among the items distributed were 10,000 bags of fertilizers crucial for increasing farm yields, 20 tractors boosting mechanised farming in Kwara Central, 400 irrigation machines supporting all-year farming and combating drought challenges, 100 live cows for butchers encouraging livestock farming and dairy production, 250 deep freezers aiding food preservation for agricultural businesses, 500 grinding machines supporting small-scale food processing enterprises, and 25 power transformers improving electricity access for agro-processing industries.
Others include 30 industrial rice milling equipment enhancing local rice production and reducing dependence on imported rice, 50 industrial baking ovens empowering local entrepreneurs in food production, and 200 university scholarships investing in the next generation of agricultural and economic leaders.
Traditional weavers were also not left out. With these interventions, Sen. Mustapha is converting Tinubu’s agricultural vision into real solutions, strengthening Nigeria’s food value chain while also ensuring that farmers and agri-preneurs in Kwara Central are equipped for success.
Beyond agriculture, human capital development is another core pillar of Tinubu’s economic reform agenda. The Renewed Hope Agenda recognises that long-term prosperity cannot be achieved through tokenism and handouts but by equipping people with the skills and knowledge to thrive independently. Hence, the senator’s programme was designed not just for distribution but for long-term self-reliance. Beneficiaries—including farmers, market women, and artisans—were not only given equipment but also trained on how to use them effectively.
Furthermore, with 2027 elections approaching, Mustapha is strategically positioning himself for greater political roles. Whether it is a re-election bid, a ministerial appointment, or a gubernatorial ambition, his performance in implementing Tinubu’s food security and economic empowerment initiatives strengthens his political profile.
Reportedly, his empowerment programme is not just about economic growth, it is about political consolidation. By delivering on Tinubu’s promises and strengthening APC’s influence in Kwara, Senator Mustapha can be said to have positioned himself as a rising force in Nigeria’s political landscape.
