₦airaland Forum

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), has ranked Nigeria as one of the World’s largest producers of Yam with about 60 per cent of the Global production of the product, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Mohammed Bello has said.

Dr Bello, disclosed this in Abuja at the National Awareness Workshop on Yam, organized by the Advocacy and Resource Mobilization Team (ARMT) of Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA), an initiative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director of Agriculture in the Ministry, Engr Frank Satumari Kudla, noted that though Nigeria produces about 64 per cent of Yam in the world, it is not among the Comity of Yam Exporting Nations owing to lack of quality seeds of improved varieties and efficient seed production.

He said that (IITA) under it’s (YIIFSWA) programme saw the need to develop High Ratio multiplication technologies such as seed multiplication system that is sustainable and capable of producing high-quality yam seeds at an affordable price to Farmers with high yielding potentials.

The Permanent Secretary also pointed out that, the current practice in Yam Seed production is at a Ratio of 1.1 within 12 Months but that the new technology will produce a 1.300 Ratio within six Months.

In his remark, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Enugu State, Idu Mathew, who was represented by Director Technical Resources, Mr Onuze Benjamin, said that “every country that exports its raw commodity, exports it’s Labour and every other thing that is good to the country

seunlayi:
Which boycott again, this asun or ashin people sef

qualityovenbake:
Reminds me of that India movie late 80s "Snake Girl".

SalamRushdie:
Nigerian actresses on their way to his DM to ask him " have you eaten today dear? " what did you eat" ?

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on security agencies and communities under threats of bandits’ attacks and kidnappings to be more vigilant and alert in the light of the latest incidents in Enugu, Zamfara, Adamawa, Katsina and Kaduna States.

In a statement on Thursday, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, said Mr Buhari made the call while reacting to the recent reports of heightened acts of violence and kidnappings after a period of relative inactivity in the country.

Mr Buhari observed that, “in view of the unpredictability of the security situation, our security forces and the communities affected should be ever more alert because these murderous and remorseless criminals would take advantage of your complacency and strike again.”

According to him, “the bandits should under no circumstances be allowed to hold the country to ransom on account of security loopholes which they seek to exploit to strike at their victims.

“The criminals always look for loopholes in our security system in order to remain in business and active, but we shouldn’t give them the space to achieve this diabolical objective by pre-empting them.”

Mr Buhari added that “complacency is a hidden or unnoticed enemy that we shouldn’t take for granted, because doing so could weaken our strategies.”

The President, however, noted that the affected communities also have a responsibility to help the security agencies with the critically important human intelligence in order to stop the bandits in their tracks.

According to the President, “the bandits maintain networks of informants among the communities they attack”, adding that “by identifying and reporting these informants to the authorities, it would be by far easier to foil the bandits before they reach their intended targets.”

Commending the security agencies for their dedication and sacrifices, President Buhari directed them to “redouble their efforts and make life uncomfortable for the bandits.”

“You should spare no effort in breaking the backbone of these savage mass killers and don’t hesitate to attack them with merciless intensity until they are crushed and ultimately defeated”, the President said.

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) says N1.45 trillion worth of goods are smuggled into Nigeria annually from Benin Republic.

The Acting Managing Director of NEPZA, David Nongo, said he sourced the data from the World Bank.

He said this at the Two-Day National Workshop on the Role of Maritime in the AfCFTA Agreement with the theme: ‘AfCFTA: Boosting Nigeria’s Economy for Sustainable Development.’

The workshop was organised by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos on Wednesday.

He lamented the menace of smuggling of goods through the Benin Republic corridor into Nigeria saying “it is of negative economic influence to the nation”.

According to the MD, who was represented at the event by Simon Tsuwan, “a recent World Bank report stated that about N1.45 trillion worth of goods are smuggled into Nigeria annually through the Benin border alone.”

“This prompted Africa’s foremost industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote to lament that there is no country that can survive with Benin Republic as a neighbour.

“And he went further to call for drastic action so as to save the Nigerian economy. The President Buhari government has taken the bold decision of closing the land borders and although there have been protests from majority ECOWAS member states. Nigeria insists that the closure would remain in force till January 31st, 2019.”

Mr Nongo said the border closure would help to boost local manufacturing, job creation and economic growth by checking the smuggling of goods into the country.

He further stated that the closure would also help to increase Nigeria’s global competitiveness as well as attract investors.

He said the difficulty the authority would have had was ‘infrastructural deficits’ but added that the agency is already updating and providing infrastructure.

“We are deploying technologies and New Media to improve service delivery, digitalising our operations and simplifying procedures etc all in a bid to get the most from the AfCFTA,” he said.

SalamRushdie:
I have fixed mine now fix yours .." kills"

SalamRushdie:
APC should always thank God for this man Jonathan because he is gift to the evil party ..It's not Tinubu nor Buhari that took APC to the presidency but this man called Jonathan and he still hasn't learnt his lesson

cenaman:
I trust bubu, even if jonathan should decamp to APC he will still probe. Buhari can not associate himself with corruption.

Oceannaagent:
Ok But it's £8m as reported by other media outlets

IamCeazer:
Op, dnt com and comfuse us, BBC reported 8M.

Achuwa1:
Bro you look lost

SalamRushdie:
Now I believe this man is moving for 3rd term , I am Buharitologist who can predict the man Buhari even from sleep ..This is the same technique he used to make the Judiciary his bitch

Achuwa1:
The presidency should be scrapped aswel & let's just try out a regional system of government.
Bihari is doing virtually nothing as a head of state & collecting free salary as minister of petroleum when he has nothing doing in that ministry.

beresponsible:
My friend sharrap dia. Na you understand because you follow share the yams

Abfinest007:
go on bubu jail them

beresponsible:
N1 trillion ($2.7 billion) shared among 469 Nigerians. 109 Senators 360 Representatives and person neva see 1 mega project for this country by any of these idiots.
Ei no go better for una generations