Federal Government Breaks Silence: ‘Northeast Not Sidelined In SAPZ Development Drive

The Federal Government has dismissed claims that the Northeast region has been excluded from the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative introduced under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, made the clarification on Saturday, stating that three out of the six Northeastern states—Borno, Gombe, and Bauchi—have already expressed interest in the SAPZ project and are actively participating. He added that the remaining states—Yobe, Taraba, and Adamawa—have yet to indicate their interest.

Kyari, while addressing journalists in his office, stressed that the lawmakers who accused the executive of bias in the project’s implementation were mistaken. He emphasized that the SAPZ project is inclusive and that some states in the region are already involved in its second phase.

“It is important to correct the misconception that the Northeast has been excluded,” Kyari said. “Inclusivity is at the heart of this administration, and all stakeholders are being carried along in the design and implementation of development programs.”

The minister also noted that participation in the SAPZ project requires states to meet specific criteria. “States must express interest and fulfill certain requirements. Some states have not done so yet,” he added.

This clarification comes in response to accusations made by the Northeast caucus of the National Assembly, which had alleged that President Tinubu’s government was marginalizing the region in project executions, political appointments, and policy decisions.

The caucus, which includes Senators and House of Representatives members from the Northeast—comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states—made its position known at a press conference held at the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday. They urged President Tinubu to revisit and reassess some of his administration’s actions, calling for fairness and equitable representation.

Specifically, the lawmakers had accused the government of sidelining the region in the $530 million SAPZ project, jointly funded by the Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).