₦airaland Forum

The closure of Nigerian borders has energised rice farmers in the country who are now smiling to the bank due, the Minister for State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, has said.

According to a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the agriculture ministry, Mr Shehuri said this at the Livestock House of the ministry in Mando, Kaduna State on Saturday.

“They are smiling to the banks with the impressive sales they have recorded and this opportunity has created more jobs, not only in rice production but also livestock and other commodities,” he said.

Apart from the closure of the borders, which the minister says has benefitted the rice farmers, the federal government has also implemented major policies to favour local production of rice, Nigeria’s major staple food.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, despite its numerous challenges, has contributed to local rice production.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, “the programme thrust of the Anchor Borrowers Programme is provision of farm inputs in kind and cash (for farm labour) to smallholder farmers to boost production of these commodities, stabilise inputs supply to agro-processors and address the country’s negative balance of payments on food.”

The programme, among other things, is expected to increase banks’ financing to the agriculture sector and to create a new generation of farmers as well as to boost employment.

In his speech, the agric minister described Nigerian farmers as a very determined and hard-working workforce.

He said they work tirelessly even without assistance from the government to improve the country’s economy and put food on the table of Nigerian homes.

“We look at agriculture as an enterprising business and we assure Nigerians of better jobs from the type of growth that will result from it,” he said.

The minister also assured farmers that the government will sell equipment to them at 50 per cent discount.

This is to support and make farming equipment accessible to local farmers in order to achieve food sufficiency and economic growth in Nigeria, he said.

Mr Shehuri said his visit was basically to ensure that the staff and management team of the ministry in the Kaduna office worked in tandem with the objectives of the government in improving the farmers capacity towards achieving food security for the teeming population of Nigeria.

“We will ensure that the equipment and farm inputs procured by the ministry get directly to the people they are meant for (farmers) because they are the bedrock of government investment designed to achieve the government’s policy of economic diversification and growth through the agricultural sector,” he said.

The minister said farming equipment would be subsidised to show the government’s commitment and determination to improve farmers production capacity and actualise the food sufficiency policy and income generation of the current administration.

In his remarks, the North West Zonal Director, FMARD, Mathew Owolabi, pledged the support of the zone to achieve its mandate and the Next Level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari in the agriculture sector, in terms of job creation, economic growth and food security.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s four-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia came to an end on Saturday.

The President participated in the Future Investment Initiative, which was christened “Davos in the Desert.”

Apart from attending the summit, which had a debating format for global leaders, investors and innovators to compare notes and share ideas, President Buhari held extensive talks with the Kingdom’s rulers, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his son, the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS.

The Presidents meetings with the two prominent rulers marked an important upswing in relations between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

As part of his engagements at the FII, President Buhari joined Presidents Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya in a plenary session to discuss the topic: ‘‘What’s Next for Africa? How will Investment and Trade Transform the Continent into the Next Great Economic Success Story?’’.

In his arguments, President Buhari said the vigorous implementation of key reforms by his administration in oil and gas, farming and agriculture as well as the country’s vast human resources, made mostly of “young men, women and able-bodied persons” and the country’s rich land and mineral resources eminently positions her for substantial capital inflows. He said the economy holds great promise of win-win for investors.

The President highlighted some key achievements of his administration and expressed a strong determination to use agriculture and ICT as vehicles to attain the target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next ten years.

On the sidelines of the conference, President Buhari held strategic meetings with the leadership of Saudi Oil and Gas group, the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund and Public Investment Fund, PIF. On the directive of the King, who had a meeting with the Nigerian leader to discuss friendly and strategic relations between both countries, the world’s largest oil operating company, ARAMCO came to ask the President and his team a simple question: “What can we do for you?’’

In response, President Buhari requested ARAMCO to visit Nigeria and carry out a diagnostic assessment of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation’s, NNPC, refineries, pipelines and other infrastructure. He wanted ARAMCO to deploy its technical expertise “to improve the efficiency of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.” The company’s Chairman, Yassir Al-Rumayyan, who doubles as the head of the PIF, expressed the company’s determination to promote business investment through the use of modern technology across the energy sector in Nigeria. For those who know, the head of the Saudi PIF has the capacity to invest five billion dollars in a country within a month.

The President instructed the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo and GMD of NNPC, Mele Kyari to work with the Saudi Arabian investment company to expedite action on modalities for collaboration and actualization of the aspirations of the leaders.

Another meeting of great significance, which was almost missed due to scheduling difficulties, but eventually took place because of strong interest on both sides was between the United States team to the FII and President Buhari. The American Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who was accompanied by Brent Macintosh, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs and Marshall Billingslea, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in the United States Treasury Department, were on their way to the airport but they had explored an opportunity to meet with President Buhari no matter how short. They turned back to meet with the President when a space was found in his schedule, albeit late evening.

At an hour when most members of his delegation had retired to their accommodations after a long day of meetings, President Buhari hosted the U S team, with the Minister of State, Petroleum and GMD of NNPC.

Mnuchin briefed President Buhari on ongoing efforts to return looted funds including the USD 300million (N108 billion) traced to former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha. The Treasury Secretary also raised possibility of the U S investing in Nigeria under the new United States International Development Finance Corporation, USIDFC, which provides $60 billion for investments in developing nations.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which had last month announced its interest to invest USD 100 billion in India, revealed that it had so far invested 40 billion dollars in India, 10 billion dollars in Pakistan and 20 billion dollars in Indonesia. According to Prince Mohammed Ibn Salman: “We are willing to do the same in Nigeria, given the favourable business environment.” President Buhari gave an instant and firm commitment for the partnership.

Avedonn:
Eh Ina anfanida 2.m

Introvertedmarc:
Now Benin has increased its duty on rice to earn appropriate tax because the dumping ground has closed its door..

To the Ghanians crying more than the bereaved on Nairaland.. I honestly believe we need each other, but at the rate you propagate your not needing Nigeria, your president really does not need to send money to truckers at the border while your ministers are pleading with the Nigerian FG.

Avedonn:
Wlh bansani ba.
Ama dai nasan sky Italia na Hot Bird ama sai da 2.5M dish zaka iya tracking.
Kana kallon Yayi channels ko?

Avedonn:
Zaka iya tracking da 60cm dish.

FriendNG:
Those looking for pictures or video, I done find 1 for you. Let's see what the hypocrite will say now. Shifting of goal activated. Oya now 1, 2, 3 go...












Cc: ManirBK

figure007:
me shuttap ... because they said church doesn't mean its a church of God ... We also have church of satan which is run by evil set of people... Thats not a church but an evil center ... Real churchses doesnt do such evil act

mbuaba:
Signal biss please anyone

omaigala:
So are you trying to justify the inhumane treatment in those facilities in the north?

FreddyKruger:

Because torture is synonymous with islam

ZombieTERROR:
There is nothing like Christain tortue... Like they have in Islam..
What's the work of hisbah police if not to do the work of Allah by enforcing Sharia laws..

There is no man made police in Christianity... Christ and angels are the Christain police

So comprende

eTECTIV:
Who else thinks dis report is somehow related to d recent almajiri skool discoveries..

Carmit:
Lol....I'm a strong APC supporter sir.
I've bashed people for even believing that BS.
But the north still has a HUGE problem.
And I'll tell you people the truth....what have you guys contributed to Nigeria?

WilyWily:
Nigeria the Devil Paradise.

Carmit:
We don't do that almajiri thingy.
That thing is a time bomb already exploding.
Only the main bomb hasn't exploded. All abokis should brace themselves.
That is the reason for your very low literacy rate. The north accounts for more than 50% of illiterates in Nigeria and poverty too which then puts Nigeria in some very bad rankings.

osemoses69:
BB

Carmit:
Eenh was it not true...

Carmit:
What are you saying?
Which table has turned bayiii?
Accept the fact that your clerics need to be cautioned and move on baba.

Asokoroaya:
Pictures or it didn't happen