₦airaland Forum

mrvitalis:
We don't have such forex. .. And as a populated country We should try as much as possible not to export any job
That's the truth... just take a look at Brazilian economy... JBC in Brazil makes over 40 billion dollars processing Brazilian grown agro products.. .

AlphaT1:
So how does this explain your mental retardation? Hungry, traumatised and helpless humans protesting for injustice done to them and a slowpoke is here saying they should suffer for their sins. How is it the fault of these innocent ones for finding themselves where they are? Some of whom were gainfully employed before now.
Try to develop your IQ by reading books before it's too late for you and you start blaming your ancestors.

bejeiodus:
Nothing could be further from the truth; there are men and women in the PDP who are models of moral rectitude.

KINGwax007:
Stop talking rubbish and do more research.
New Zealand makes more money on agriculture than anything.. Even till today..

Moat agricultural settlement generates power from reusable energies or generating plants..

The beauty of agriculture is the release of pressure on the urban region...

kgr8mike:
When they get power they forget what is good for Nigeria & they think themselves fortunate.


How many other men's chudrens have you ever taken care of

Restructure Nigeria and let every state or region control their resources human and natural and the government will say no.


Who is holding your state from developing it's resources. Only oil

OK. Let them continue to bit more than they can chew. It is brewing...

Chigold101:
ajuju!!!

maddock:
This commentary is culled from someone post on facebook and I think its makes a whole lot of sense.

Anytime I hear Nigerian presidents, ministers,
governors, economists, analysts and
commentators declare that agriculture is the
alternative to oil, and that the solution to
Nigeria’s economic woes is to return to the
farm, I am tempted to jump up and ask at full
volume: “Who agriculture alone don epp?”
Some states have hilariously declared work-
free days for civil servants to go to the farm.
It would be nice to see those farms and how
well the emergency farmers are doing. We’ve
been told again and again that agriculture, as
Nigeria’s biggest employer of labour, is the
magic solution to unemployment, that we will
export agricultural produce and earn plenty
forex. Well done.
I’ve been hearing this fairy-tale all my life.
When I was a primary school kid, Lt. Gen.
Olusegun Obasanjo, then head of state, asked
Nigerians to tighten their belts because the oil
boom would not last forever. He added drama
by tightening his military belt on TV. He
launched Operation Feed the Nation. President Shehu Shagari did
Green Revolution. The structural adjustment
programme (SAP) of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida
was basically about diversifying into
agriculture. My dad then a manager in A.T. & P alongside
other management staff embraced farming in the mid and late 80s.
In different shapes, forms, sizes
and packaging, we have been talking about
agriculture, agriculture and agriculture forever.
Since we love glamorising our exploits in the
export of cocoa, coffee, palm oil and
groundnuts before the oil boom doom, I will
pick on just cocoa to dispel this ill-conceived
notion and never-ending campaign that
agriculture is the magic wand.
We used to be the biggest producers of cocoa
in the world. Chief Obafemi Awolowo utilised
cocoa revenue to develop the south-west
when he was premier of the region in the
1950s. But we dropped the ball along the line
and Cote d’Ivoire overtook us. And now we
are lamenting that we are nowhere to be
found. The solution, therefore, is for the south-
west to revive the cocoa farms. Oh, the good
old days!
Okay, let us talk about Cote d’Ivoire’s fabled
cocoa wealth. Cote d’Ivoire produces 33% of
world cocoa and exports to manufacturers
such as Hershey’s, Mars Inc. (both in the US)
and Nestlé (Switzerland). You know what Cote
d’Ivoire earns yearly from exporting raw
cocoa? A whopping $2.5bn. I repeat: a
whopping $2.5bn!
So Mars buys Ivorien cocoa and makes
several products from it: Bounty, M&M, Mars
and Milky Way, to name a few. You know
Mars’ net income from chocolate products
alone in 2015?
According to the International Cocoa
Organisation (ICCO), Mars made a pathetic
$18bn, compared to Cote d’Ivoire’s whopping
$2.5bn. Agriculture, indeed.
If you are wondering how just one company,
which manufactures chocolate, can earn
seven times more than a whole country, which
farms and exports the cocoa input, then you
are asking the same question with me: Who
agriculture alone don epp?
On ICCO’s list of the world’s top 10
companies in net revenue from chocolate, you
have three from America, two from Japan,
two from Switzerland, and one each from
Luxemburg/Italy, Argentina and Turkey. None
from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia — the
world’s three biggest producers of raw cocoa.
There must be something that Hershey’s,
Mars and Nestlé know that we don’t know as
we keep planting cocoa.
To be fair, Cote d’Ivoire is waking up. In 2015,
French chocolatier Cémoi opened a plant in
Abidjan, the economic capital, to produce
chocolate. President Alassane Ouattara, on
touring the plant, said: “We want to be able to
make chocolate for Ivoriens, for Africans and
especially West Africans.” Ouattara
(pronounced Wa-ta-ra) understands what we
still don’t understand here: that agriculture
without industry is dead, being alone.
How could I buy cocoa worth $1m from you
and make chocolate worth $10 million from it
— and you think you are smart? If you are
smart, you will start making the chocolate
yourself and stop romanticising about the
“good old days”.
There was a video that went viral sometime
ago. CNN’s Richard Quest visited a cocoa
farm in Cote d’Ivoire. Come and see poverty
written all over the faces of the farmers, who
have been told for decades that agriculture is
the magic solution to their problems. Quest
gave the farmers bars of chocolate. They were
eating the sweet stuff for the first time in their
lives!
Compare their lives to those of the executives
of Mars Inc., who buy the cocoa beans from
Cote d’Ivoire. They are flying private jets and
holidaying in the moon, while the Ivorien
farmers are fighting off flies and bees in the
bushes of Koffikro. For your information, Mars
Inc. has no cocoa farms!
Don’t get me wrong please. If I have created
the impression that agriculture is useless, I do
apologise. That is not my intention. After all,
agriculture is our culture. Millions of Nigerians
are farming rice, beans, cassava and corn.
That is huge employment. Also, we certainly
can produce many food items that we are
importing and burning precious forex on. But
is that why governors are declaring work-free
days for civil servants to go and plant melon
and maize to solve Nigeria’s economic
problem and stop the dependency on oil? If
only these governors knew that Switzerland
does not grow one tree of cocoa, yet makes
the world’s most elegant chocolates!
Let us break this whole agric logic into pieces.
If we really want to diversify from oil and
create proper value, agriculture must give
birth to industry. If agriculture currently
employs, say, 5 million Nigerians, agro-allied
industry can employ 15 million in the value
chain. So why do we spend so much time
discussing farming and not industry? For
example, how many graduates can a tomato
farm employ compared to a factory making
tomato purée? The factory will employ or
engage the services of engineers, technicians,
chemists, marketers, accountants,
communicators, lawyers, administrators,
drivers, and so on. It may even have a sick
bay and employ doctors and nurses.
I’m not done. A basket of tomatoes sells for
N800 in Kaduna. A 400g tin of purée sells for
N300. Look at how many bottles of purée you
can get from a basket, and how much value
you will be getting. Who, then, is making the
real money? The factory will pay company tax,
its employees will pay PAYE and the
consumers will pay VAT. That is how
government will boost its revenue.
The purée bottle makers offer a different
business altogether that employs workers and
pays all kinds of taxes too. And if we are good
enough, we can begin to export purée to other
countries, and earn forex. This is just purée.
Think of a thousand agro-allied factories.
Think of our huge population.
Sure, agriculture is very important in a
primitive economy like ours. But we always
miss the bigger picture. One, we need full
optimisation of the sector to enhance
productivity. A country like the US knows this
much better: the percentage of the population
engaged in farming is insignificant, but it is so
optimised that the output is out of this world.
For instance, the US produces enough rice for
local consumption, for export, for aid and to
dump in the sea to “stabilise” market prices.
Two, processing is where you find the
massive job opportunities. The agro-industry
will yield far more output, more jobs and more
economic value than Benue Friday Farming.
These things look so simple and doable, but
commonsense is not common. Our
agricultural output can be far better in quantity
and quality than currently obtains. We can do
with better technology, storage, conditioning,
packaging and transportation. Most
importantly, our brains should focus on how
industry can bring out the real value of
agriculture and spark off a chain of economic
activities that will create millions of good jobs
and generate billions of dollars in revenue to
investors, employees and government. But we
seem excited only about preaching and
promoting the export of raw produce, and we
feel so smart we think this is the way out of
our oil dependency!
But how can we add value when, despite the
billions of dollars we have made from oil
since 1999, we don’t have the basic
infrastructure to inspire an agro-based
industrial explosion? Where are the roads?
Where are the rails? Where is the electricity?
Where is the security? Where is the finance?
Yet I can point to uncountable private jets,
mansions and customised cars that politicians
and their friends have acquired since 1999
with proceeds from the oil boom , while they
keep preaching stone-age agriculture to
Nigerians.
So if your governor joins this craze of
declaring work-free days for primitive farming,
just ask him politely:Your Excellency, who
agriculture alone don epp?

blazer234:
They should give the name of the senator now.

betterABIAstate:
blame amaechi, fashola and kwankwaso who took jonathan to court to share the excess crude oil savings when thwy were governors

Joel3:
Reasons why there will be deadlock in Federal Government & Avengers negotiations.


Before now, avengers have said that they are ready to negotiate with the Nigeria government, but the Nigeria government shouldn’t go on with the repair of pipeline while the negotiation team is on as there is no assurance with the outcome of the negotiation table, although some of them opposes negotiation and chooses to breakaway but others think negotiation is the first key first before any other thing , as its also guarantee their request will be granted by the government, because it doesn’t make any sense to go on with the repair when the negotiation is not concluded yet. Already the Niger Delta people have made it clear that there won’t be any Niger Delta oil-well allocation to the Buharism and tinuburism as it was done in the past, when military and politicians awarded the Niger delta oil-well to their northerners and westerners family and even generation yet unborn while the great people of Niger Delta who God has blessed are suffering and dying of poverty and pollution of their natural inhabitant.


The negotiation is not only between Avengers alone but the entire interest of the Niger Delta people inclusive. Otherwise tomorrow another militant group will come up. The underlining factor if it is not address it will bring more deadly issue with what we are witnessing today it’s only a matter of time.


With what we have seen in the country so far is that Buhari is bitter for not owning Niger Delta oil-well for been a former military general in the country and he feels been cheated, that was the reasons he contested for all the presidential election since 2003 which he failed to achieved.


Tinubu on the underhand has liquefied the enticed Lagos wealth and decide to move down to the Niger delta to also own up oil-well. hahahahha, this must really be a joke, the comedy of 21st century.
These old men must still be dreaming and needed to be woken up to reality in this 2016.


The 21st century Niger Delta humans are not the same as 19st or 20st century Niger Delta Humans.
We have invested more on education and enlighten our people individually without the help of the federal government which they also plan for us to be like the poor northerners, a primary and secondary level education which is compulsory to every family in the Niger Delta, as this is what is required to drive a nation and civilization forward. Even the ones with little education at least knows what is going on the country.

There is no status quo as usual anymore. This is the time to face reality. There won’t be any more Niger Delta oil-well allocation to northerners, that former chain has been broken. The avengers has said that regionalism or fiscal federalism and 75% oil-well must been own by Niger delta people in which buharism and APC-shit has been shying away from. Instead they said they will crush the Niger delta avengers, hahahaha.


The western World has already take a look into the plight of the NiGER Delta people, and they have backout, hence reasons why they are silent concerning this issue and instead told thenigeria government to negotiate with the avengers.
And who said the north cannot survive without the Niger delta Oil? First we need to separate the political northerners and the people of the geographical northern part.


The people of the geographical northern part have been surviving without the oil from the Niger Delta, it will interest you to note that 95% of oil-well is owned by political northerners. And they have ruled this country more than any other region. Yet they refuse education to the people of the geographical northern part, they also refuse medical & health vaccination of the people of geographical northern part, and yet the people of the geographical northern part are still living their life without any help from the political northerners as of today.


The political northerners are nothing but good in generalizing the whole northerners in seeking for one Nigeria but when it comes to oil-well money they deny them access.


The truth is that the political northerners that owned up oil-wells are only protecting their interest and investment and not the interest of the generality of the country.. It will also interest you that the displayed persons in the geographical northern part is majorly funded by foreigners who knows nothing concerning this guys and which their leaders have made them to believe that they are infidels.


Now the question is if the Buharism is even ready to implement 50% of the demand by the avengers and people Niger Delta republic is not clear.


The Niger delta has grown beyond pipeline contract. Any contract given to any group of militant will only worsen for more militant. Its better we face the reality.

Thank you.

Caffeine:
Hello Nairalanders,
I am twenty years old, and want to be president of our great country one day.
What can I begin to do to prepare myself?
What books should I read, which organizations should I be part of? How can I prepare in general?

Thanks for your responses.

crudeoilagent:
I still find it funny that most people don't know why Nigeria economy went into recession, they love the incompetent lies of Lai Mohammed about the past government ruining everything. It's also myopic to think that if Jonathan were to still be in power, we would be worse off.

The truth about Nigeria's recession is this; it was caused by the president's unguided rhetoric and uncultured body language.

Firstly, there is nothing we are buying today that we weren't buying 5 years ago, therefore it's not our purchase that put pressure on Naira but withdrawal of funds by foreign investors.

After the election, the president created instability with his unguided statements about how everyone is corrupt and how everyone is going to jail. The instability made foreign investors to liquidate their investment and change their money to dollars. In the process of trying to flee, they were willing to buy dollars at any price, which lead to high exchange dollar rate.

Even though some of them were not ready to run away, but want their money in dollars to save their investments from devaluation, the president gave a bad signal by banning deposit of foreign currency into dormiciliary accounts. That was enough for free market believers to see the draconian handwriting on the wall, that was the beginning of dollar rush.

To make matters worse, the president came up with another outrageous policy of rationing dollar to certain sectors and blocking many sectors out. That was the nail in the coffin which facilitated the emergence of free FALL.

In the end, foreign investors took over $80B out of the economy within a short period and everything went down to free fall.

To those who believe it will be worse if Jonathan is still there, you are all wrong. Policy continuity and political stability will not let billions of dollars leave our shores within such tiny time frame. Even though the government might have income shortage, the private sector will weather the storm by their confidence in the market.

The fear of the unknown created by PMB is responsible for the economic downturn not low oil price. Interest rate in America is currently at 0.5% while it is 12% in Nigeria. JP Morgan Chase will not mind borrowing $50 billion from Feds at 0.5 and put in Nigeria for return of %2000 profit. Citi bank will do the same, likewise US Bank Corp. Chase gave Buhari warning about the repercussions of his fixing policy before they pulled out, but his illiterate cyber warriors and misseducated e-soldiers said JPMORGAN can go to hell, they no longer believe in economic metrics since their messiah is in charge. Funny enough they are all suffering today because of the stupid policy, but they find relief by blaming it on past administration and Gucci appetite of average Nigerians.

For your information, if your president "kontunu" with his unguided rhetoric, Naira will go down to N1000/1 $. But we thank God, he is not longer talking. ~ Chinomso Awazie (Writes) Copied!

Makes lots of sense

blues20:
That is called political alliance, its not slavery. Get your medullas right man.

Ratello:
What a warped logic from a supposed university graduate and how do these allegations make the Igbo slaves to the Abo.kis?


Cos they want out and can't until we say so
[quote ]

Ratello:
What a warped logic from a supposed university graduate and how do these allegations make the Igbo slaves to the Abo.kis?
[quote ]

Cos they want out and can't until we say so

beautyoftheLord:
The article just stated the sad truth in Nigeria. Split this country already. There can never be peace were muslims are. Their religion just has to play and no one can stop it. Try to curtail it, it erupts into untold violence with human blood shed ofcourse. To them, they are the almighty faithfuls and you are the infidels that can be dealt with at will.

amtalkin:
And they will be the first to shout One Nigeria even when they know things are not being done well.

Northerners -the reason why Nigeria CAN NOT be one
[quote ]

America did not wait to be one with the world before developing
Why do Ibo have to wait for Nigeria

khSteel:
The fact that Sen Kwankwaso has to come down to Lagos to release his "brother" shouldn't be a justification for evil.

Chinakwe's so-called HOR/Governor, etc. need not get involved in this matter b4 the state apparatus will perform its responsibilities appropriately. BTW, all these talks about governor/HOR are secondary and simply unnecessary.
[quote ]

The above mentioned is why you will continue to be slaves

Doghari:
The monsurudeens of yorubaland have sworn to fight for a country where fulanis must be worshipped no matter what and they will have that country very soon and there will be no Igbos and Nigerdeltans within it.

attackgat:
Not us Igbos! We fought a war against them to prove it. If you are looking for the ones that have been conditioned to be slaves, look westward.

mightyhazell:
Yea,..according 2 our afonjas who work tirelessly 2 have the rest of us bow down and dance 2 evry whims of the abbokkis. They gleefully remind us dat wot befelll us in 1966 will definitely befall us in 2016 if we don't learn 2 respec(worship) abbokkis!

Midgut:
This has to stop!
Northerners are not sacred cows!
They are not elites nor nobles, while we commoners-------we are equal! We Southerners are contributing more to the economy than these ignorant, religiously intoxicated illiterates!

mamag3:
Yaradua is weak and ill
Our governors are sick
Our deputies are not remembered and do absolutely nothing in office.

Is Nigeria really a joke for a nation?

hahn:
We need to start thinking "solutions"

NaijainTexas:
OP, I can help. I live in the States and although I do agree America has more privileges than Nigeria, there are a host of things where Naija takes the gold.

-Culture. Here in the US, there is a lack of culture amongst groups of native Americans in the sense of tradition. Most of its culture/tradition are brought by immigrants from all over the world that try to emulate their traditions here. For instance, even when we try, traditional weddings aren't even as authentic as when we're in Naija. The longer we stay in the US, the more our cultures fade off. I don't know the last time I have seen my Yoruba friends bow to greet their elders as I was used to in Naija. Even children talk back and disrespect their elders here.
[quote ]

They respect whatever has consequences not random elders who have run their country aground and runaway to spoil anoda land.
Theirs is a culture of success and achievement not age or hugabuga dancing

YorubaFynest:
0 sense made.