Northern Women Forum (NWF) has expressed satisfaction with the overall performance of Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The group made this known on Sunday while assessing the lawmaker’s contribution to the development of Kwara through quality representation, facilitation of empowerment and constituency programme as well as promotion of women’s inclusion in the grand scheme of things in Nigeria.
In a statement in Ilorin on Sunday, NWF President Awakulu Mafaji described the Turaki of Ilorin as a trailblazer who is living up to expectations of the the people. Noting that he (Mustapha) has demonstrated a paradigm shift in the area of empowerment of constituents and by extension, the electorate.
Mafaji specifically lauded Senator Mustapha’s recent donation of new tractors to Hausa farmers across the four local government areas in Kwara Central—Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Asa—describing it as a “rare gesture.”, while welcoming Senator Saliu Mustapha’s call for increased participation of women in politics and decision-making at all levels during this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.
“We have watched Senator Mustapha keenly and closely and followed his antecedence and it’s clear that Kwara has been blessed with an extraordinary political leader that is blazing the trail and setting the pace for others to follow.
“Despite being a good ambassador of Kwara state, Senator Mustapha has shown quality in his representation of the North-central state. He is not part of shoddy deals and corruption in the hallowed chamber.
“In delivering service to his people, the lawmaker who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development, has attracted multi-billion-naira agricultural and rural development projects to his district.
“His efforts have been credited with boosting food production, empowering rural farmers, and improving livelihoods across the senatorial zone. His donation of new tractors to Hausa farmers across the four local government areas in Kwara Central is already boosting large-scale farming and will translate to an economic boom to the state.”
The group also recalled an empowerment programme organised by Senator Mustapha earlier in the year, tagged, Alubarika 1.0 Agricultural and Human Capital Development Empowerment Programme which was regarded as historic as beneficiaries cut across the four local governments of Kwara Central.
The beneficiaries included artisans, market women, indigent students in universities, and several youths, products of the lawmaker skills acquisition programme. In addition, indigent students in the lawmaker’s constituency received scholarships.
It is however worthy of note that apart from the provision of scholarships to over 200 indigent students in universities, empowerment items distributed to beneficiaries included, 20 tractors, to be shared among the four local governments, 10,000 bags of fertilizer, 30 complete industrial rice milling equipment, 25 complete Garri processing machines, all to assist farmers and boost agricultural produce.
Artisans trained in tailoring and designing went home with Butterfly sewing machines (200) Industrial sewing machines, (55) and Gas-Powered Pressing Irons (100). Those trained in solar installation were given complete Solar Installation equipment while over 100 butchers were given one life cow each.