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WITHOUT formally announcing it, President Goodluck Jonathan may have started getting briefs from Ministers on the performance of their Ministries as related to the implementation of the 2012 budget.

Last Thursday, Ministers of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade and Interior, Mr. Abba Moro briefed the President. Yesterday (Tuesday), Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina briefed the President on the performance of their Ministries.

Unlike Olubolade and Moro, Presidential Adviser (Media and Publicity), Dr Rueben Abati brought Adesina to brief the State House press corps as according to Abati, they are “the ears and eyes of your media houses and by extension the public. About a week ago, I pointed out that in the past one month, the President directed the Minister of Finance to present an outline of disbursement to MDAs in relation to Budget 2012 and that was duly done. At that EFC, the President directed that each ministry should present its key performance indicators. Each ministry has been coming with parastals and been briefing the President in terms of mandate, what has been received and their projection for Budget 2013. Budget performance is something the President takes very seriously. It is not an event, it is a process. The Ministers of Interior and Police Affairs have appeared before the President. Today, it was the turn of the Minister of Agriculture. I feel it is important for the minister to intimate you of what he and his team told the President. That is the essence of this briefing. During the inauguration of cabinet, the President laid emphasis on performance. You, journalists, are the eyes and the ears of the media and by extension, Nigerians.”

Adesina, who announced that the Ministry ofAgriculture haS recorded 68 per cent budget utilisation since this budget year said President Jonathan, after his briefing, was satsfied with the progress the ministry is making the provision of food security and reduction of food importation as well creating sustainable jobs.

The Minister said: I must remind you that the budget was passed on the 15th of March, 2012. Agricultural season started in January and 48.1Billion was budgeted for capital projects with 13.8 released. So far, we have spent 9.4 billion of the amount released. We have achieved 68 percent utilization at least for the main Ministry while some of our parastatals have achieved as much as 100 percent of the amount released to them from March when the budget was passed. Most of the commitments are in getting fertilizers to farmers.”

The Ministry, he stated, is working towards adding 20 million metric tonnes to the domestic supply of food by 2015 and would be self-sufficient in rice production by 2015. This, he said, is the reason for raising the tariff on rice importation by 100 per cent.
Adesina noted that through the efforts of his Ministry, “153 SMEs are now back in operation as a result of the federal government policy. There are six billion dollars investment in ethanol. One of the largest tractors assembly plant is already producing tractors for local market and for West African country. Dominion farm is investing 40Million US. Dollars to produce 300,000 tons of rice, 50 youth trained in rice farming outside the country. 13 new rice mills, with200,000 metric tons capacity, Ebony rice mill is adding 30,000 tones. We have concluded arrangement of 100 integrated rice mills to mill 2.1 Million metric tons of rice. Total amount of investment is $1.5 billion dollars to unlock the potential in the sector for Nigeria. We signed an MoU with 15,000 hectares in the north cotton seeds given out for free. All seeds are being given out for free. Katsina, kano, Jigawa etc. The action is getting global attention. We are getting huge amount of supports. Bill Gates agrees to seat on the eminent persons group. Have 36 and 6 regional Directors. World Bank to invest 900Million Dollars in Agric. IFAD to raise 80Millon. Dollars. Bill and Melinda have agreed to establish an office making Nigeria a priority for the foundation.

“For about forty years now, government bought and distributed fertilizers and that was one of the most corrupt systems in the country. Farmers never got the fertilizers, but the political farmers got it, and it was even exported to other countries. We have been able to sanitize that and we ended it within 90 days of this administration. The current situation is for the private sector to sell seed and fertilizers to farmers. That is the way it should be. Within the first 4 months, we were able to develop a robust data base for farmer so that we can capture our supplies to them. We did this and 4.5 Million farmers were captured with their biometric information so that we can target supply of inputs to them better. Governent target is to capture 5 Million farmers every year to reach 20 Million farmers by 2015. We developed an electronic Wallet system. It took us three months to develop. We have been able to leverage support for finance for seed and fertilizer with a commitment of N30Billion from Banks to lend to the sector.”