Says his tax policy will de-industrialize Kogi State By Ishola Balogun
Dr Yeqeen Abdullah Habeeb, a former lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University and University of Ilorin, economist, Proprietor, Al Azhar International College, and former Governorship aspirant in Kogi State under All Progressive Congress, APC, says the much expected vibrancy of the youth from Kogi State governor who prides himself as the youngest governor in Nigeria has failed the people of the state including the elders.
Dr. Yeqeen Abdullah Habeeb
He adds that the governor, instead of giving incentives to investors and business owners in the state, he is chasing them out with unfriendly taxation. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, Dr Habeeb opines that Nigeria‘s economy is doing well judging by the growing GDP, saying the IMF should not dictate to Nigeria on subsidy issue. Excerpts.
Amidst criticisms here and there on governance in your state, what do you think Governor Yahaya Bello is not doing well?
Governor Yahaya Bello is a young man and I also call him a very lucky man. You contested the primary, you came second, the number one man who was winning, answered the call of God Almighty and then you were lucky, God appointed you as the governor.
For me, such a person should thank God and serve the interest of the people. If you do that, God will be kind to you more, as you are helping His creatures. The question now is what do we need in Kogi state? We need economic development, empowerment and getting the people out of poverty. That is all Yahaya Bello should have done.
So, he was never on the path of doing that?
If you measure the feelings of the people and what they are saying, you will know he is not on the path of development. The people are saying they are not happy. One of the major reasons people are not happy is that salaries are not paid. Now, if he should pay up all the backlog of salaries, feelings of people will change.
Nigerian elites are not interested in the power sector – Pro Ekpo
Apart from salaries being owed to workers, there are other criticisms bothering on not harnessing the natural endowments of the state as well as the intellectual capacity of people for proper development of the state, do you agree?
