FG not spending N60bn on mobile phones for farmers —Minister

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/2335-fg-not-spending-n60bn-on-mobile-phones-for-farmers-%E2%80%94minister

MINISTER of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has denied news reports that the Federal Government is to spend N60 billion on purchase of mobile phones for rural farmers, describing the reports as false and a misrepresentation of rural farmers’ mobile empowerment initiative.

Speaking exclusively with the Nigerian Tribune, the minister said N60 billion mentioned in the story was almost the entire budget of the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that “we have not arrived at the budget for the mobile initiative.”

According to him, the total cost, when determined, could not be anywhere near the figure mentioned in the story.

“Even if we are to give mobile phones to 10 million rural farmers at N6,000 per one, the cost would still be around N6 billion. How then did they arrive at N60 billion?

“But we have not even taken any decision. I can, however, tell you six reasons why the rural farmer mobile initiative is being sponsored by the Federal Government.

“The first is to reach farmers so that they can access fertilisers and other farm inputs. The second is to ensure financial inclusion by linking the rural farmers directly to banks for farm subsidies and others.

“The third is to enable farmers to get extension services information which they presently have no access to one.

“Fourth is to create alert channel to farmers in cases of flood and draught and, lastly, we want farmers to have access to market information for better returns on their produce,” the minister said.

He further said “I want to assure Nigerians that we are not spending N60 billion on the project. We are yet to take final decision.”

PDP ... People Deceiving People.

6,000x10,000,000= 60,000,000,000(60billion)
Minister you are an olodo

I'm sorry but I still don't understand what necessitates BUYING phones for the farmers. Is the minister saying that farmers in Nigeria do not ALREADY have phones? Why not get a database of farmers and collect their phone numbers?

And how did they arrive at 10 million? Did they do a census of all farmers in Nigeria?

Do we have up to 10 million farmers in Nigeria??

Are they saying 1 in every 16 Nigerian is a farmer??

These guys are M0R0NS.....

I am more confused than ever.
The permanent sec even made small sense than this jargons

My maths skills are rusty these days. But at an average cost of 6, 000 naira per unit. 10 million units should translate to 60, 000, 000, 000 (60 billion) naira.But do we really have 10million farmers in nigeria?

Squandermania.

hancock: My maths skills are rusty these days. But at an average cost of 6, 000 naira per unit. 10 million units should translate to 60, 000, 000, 000 (60 billion) naira.But do we really have 10million farmers in nigeria?

clearly you math skills are in better shape than Dr. Adesina's (his PhD defense committee should be so proud)

On a more serious note, one feels like crying for Nigeria as the interview is wrong on so many levels ("false and misrepresentation" )
that it leaves the dreadful feeling that our country is really doomed to being a failed state as famously predicted by the CIA.

By the way, I feel strongly that this should be on the home page. I also recommend to Seun that nairaland should have a policy section where we can engage with government policy.

2015

bigass: 6,000x10,000,000= 60,000,000,000(60billion)
Minister you are an olodo

See PhD Holder + Minister in a whole country who can't do simple arithmetic (multiplication). I just continue to love the nuisance this country portray.

Iv never seen a country as inept as Nigeria, wrong or inaccurate statistics, ghost workers, inflated figures, large scale looting at the slightest opportunity.

Damn that country is cursed just like the biblical Plagued Egyptians

To be fair, he said "Even if. . ."

This govt is a write off,.

First of all, Ђδω many farmers in Nigeria fit browse

ok we don hear u sir. pls tell us anoda storyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I am so disappointed in this minister ooooo, so he doesn't know simple mathematics. A minister SMH seriously for Nigeria

MAY BE TB JOSHUA PROPHECY ABOUT GODS BLESSING ON AGRICULTURE RELATED BUSINESS THIS YEAR IS GRADUALLY FINDING FULFILLMENT.

IMO, this is just a bogus project to settle somebody. Mr. Minister, even though you wanna paint the picture that these farmers belong in the stone age, I think a huge proportion of them own at least torch-light phones.

Use the money take buy fertilizer and provide soft loans joor.

If Nigeria still has 10 million rural farmers in 2013, then we're not even supposed to be called a developing nation. We're in stone age! These ridiculous lies from our government is really shameful. We have 774 local governments. If we have over 1,000 rural farmers per LG, then food will be really cheap.
Moreso, If the government provides the phones, will they install the masts for MTN, or glo? Will they come collect the phone every evening to charge for these 'rural farmers'? Will they top up the credit for them? And if we spend 60 Billion of facilitating communications between farmers and banks, how much loans can the banks actually give collectively?
Our government no get sense!

I respect this man so much as I work with an agricultural body in affiliation with FG, under federal ministry of agriculture. From his mathematical error, it tells that he was a bit confused. And as such. It tells that there is fire somewhere for this smoke to have come out. Disappointed!

2Legit2Qui: FG not spending N60bn on mobile phones for farmers —Minister

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/2335-fg-not-spending-n60bn-on-mobile-phones-for-farmers-%E2%80%94minister

“Even if we are to give mobile phones to 10 million rural farmers at N6,000 per one, the cost would still be around N6 billion. How then did they arrive at N60 billion?

He further said “I want to assure Nigerians that we are not spending N60 billion on the project. We are yet to take final decision.”

10 million farmers in Nigeria. .I guess we were asleep when they did the counting..

naptu2: To be fair, he said "Even if. . ."

The issue is not "Even if", the entire initiative is flawed including her illustration of 10mil * 6,000 = 6billion.

So how did they arrive at 10 million farmers,and why phones? When there are other measures that can improve Agricultural produces-soft loans,basic amenities,etc. It shows the minister lacks initiatives,aand this is misplacement of priority.

6000x10000000=60 billion. Simple maths,the yeye minister nor know.
We need to see his WAEC result

GARRI (x7):
Do we have up to 10 million farmers in Nigeria??

Are they saying 1 in every 16 Nigerian is a farmer??

These guys are M0R0NS.....

Will you just shut up there? No wonder someone called Nairaland "Nigeria's Online Beer palour." For your information, a comprehensive nation-wide population survey was carried out between 2010 and 2011. I got to know because I worked very closely with the ADPs and the real rural interior farmers themselves when I did my field survey for my just-concluded Masters programme at the University of Ibadan. It will interest you that Ogun state alone had over 200, 000 active rural peasant farmers. I'm not defending spending billions anyhow but let no one come here to spew rub.bish.

stephenponti: MAY BE TB JOSHUA PROPHECY ABOUT GODS BLESSING ON AGRICULTURE RELATED BUSINESS THIS YEAR IS GRADUALLY FINDING FULFILLMENT.

You never can tell...

Even though I know the benefits of farmers owning mobile phones (see links/articles in next post), but I am strongly against the idea of government buying the phones for them.

And d farmers don get hope say dem go collect bb

FAST-LINK:

The issue is not "Even if", the entire initiative is flawed including her illustration of 10mil * 6,000 = 6billion.

I'm not in support of the initiative, but I'm referring to the issue of 10 million. He didn't say, we are buying phones for 10 million farmers; he said "Even if we. . ." There's a difference.

I guess that must have been a mathematical oversight...

But,whether 6 or 60 billion naira for phones only is damn too much

If I don't get banned by pyguru, then I'll post the articles in full.

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/kenyan-farmers-use-sms-to-beat-climate-driven-price-uncertainty


http://ukulima.net/info/

HNosegbe: I'm sorry but I still don't understand what necessitates BUYING phones for the farmers. Is the minister saying that farmers in Nigeria do not ALREADY have phones? Why not get a database of farmers and collect their phone numbers?

And how did they arrive at 10 million? Did they do a census of all farmers in Nigeria?

the ministry of agriculture actually registered farmers nationwide last year.