WHY IS NORTH SO PRODUCTIVE AND YET SO POOR ?

Each time I travel across Northern states, all I see along the road is wealth, wealth, and more wealth.

From Kano to Katsnia to Zamfara and beyond. The sight of endless farmlands on both sides of the road is just amazing.
Despite this level of agricultural productivity, there still seem to be a high level of poverty in the North. This is what confuses me. The world can live without crude oil but cannot live without food. The people in food business are suppose to be more comfortable and self-sustaining than the oil-business people. Yet in Nigeria, it is the reverse.

According to CBN statistics, Nigeria spends N1Billion daily importing rice alone. That is N365Billion annually for rice only. The North is now positioned to have a majority share in this business. If you add all the agricultural produce of the North and check the statistics and the cash flow, you will see that the North has no relationship with poverty. Another statistic shows that Nigeria spends N24Trillion annually on food consumption. If the North dominates the agriculture sector, then they have no relationship with poverty.

FG RELEASES INTERIM REPORT ON FINANCIAL, ASSETS RECOVERIES

The Federal Government made cash recoveries totaling N78,325,354,631.82 (Seventy eight billion, three hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and fifty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty one Naira and eighty two kobo); $185,119,584.61 (One hundred and eight five million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, five hundred and eighty four U...S dollars, sixty one cents); 3,508,355.46 Pounds Sterling (Three million, five hundred and eight thousand, three hundred and fifty-five Pounds and 46 Pence) and 11, 250 Euros (Eleven thousand, two hundred and fifty Euros) from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016.

In a statement in Lagos on Saturday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also disclosed that Recoveries Under Interim Forfeiture (cash and assets) during the period totaled N126,563,481,095.43 (One hundred and twenty six billion, five hundred and sixty three million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, and ninety five Naira, forty three Kobo; $9,090,243,920.15 (Nine billion, ninety million, two hundred and forty three thousand, nine hundred and twenty Dollars, fifteen cents; 2,484,447.55 Pounds Sterling (Two million, four hundred and eighty four thousand, four hundred and forty seven Pounds, fifty five Pence) and 303,399.17 Euros (Three hundred and three thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine Euros, 17 cents ).