₦airaland Forum

WHY NIGERIA IS CUTTING DOWN ON FOOD IMPORTATION, BY VP OSINBAJO

*Invites Russian farmers to engage in local agric production

Foreign exchange constraints and the availability of arable land in Nigeria makes the case for improved local agricultural production in Nigeria an imperative, rather than continued importation with its significant pressure on dwindling foreign earnings of the country.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, gave this explanation earlier today while receiving in his office a Russian delegation led by the Russian Minister of Agriculture who is also the Co-Chair of the Nigeria-Russia Joint Commission, Mr. Alexander Tkachev.

“The oil prices have gone down tremendously and yet large amount of foreign exchange is used to purchase food abroad and we have large arable land for agric. It won’t make sense, if you don't use the land,” according to the Vice President.

Prof. Osinbajo then invited Russian farmers to invest in Nigeria, produce and import from here, saying “we are just 6 hours away from Europe by air. Vegetables, flour can be exported to Europe from here, even our local market here is a lot.”

Both the Vice President and the delegation that included the Russian Ambassador in Nigeria, Ambassador Nikolay Udovichenko, Russian Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Evgeny Gromyko and officials of Russian’s firm-United Company (Rusal) agreed that Nigeria and Russia should deepen the existing diplomatic relationship, especially economically.

According to Prof. Osinbajo “there is a lot of money to be made if Russian technology in agriculture is deployed locally,” adding that there are better opportunities for economic cooperation between both countries.

Speaking earlier, the Russian Agriculture Minister expressed his country’s willingness to enhance the existing trade relations with Nigeria. He observed that the Nigeria-Russia trade volume as at the end of 2015 exceeded $300 million, but added that there are potentials for improvement in the years ahead.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 10, 2016

finally our vp now has a job

I just like this commisioner. The guy is in a world of his own governing and making promises. Is he part of the govt?

preetypam:
finally our vp now has a job

funny you

In other words, hunger will pisnish the 95% north.

stsinner:
funny you

No mind me o politics forum is becoming a joke forum

preetypam:
No mind me o politics forum is becoming a joke forum

i dey tell u....little wonder you are now more engaging in it than b4.

stsinner:
i dey tell u....little wonder you are now more engaging in it than b4.

they amuse me a lot esp when they start their tribalistic e-wars

preetypam:
they amuse me a lot esp when they start their tribalistic e-wars

like afonja,flaties,ipad etc? We have a lot of creative comedians in NL

stsinner:
like afonja,flaties,ipad etc? We have a lot of creative comedians in NL

na so...ipoop,cone heads,brown roof republic...nigerians are born commedians

Dear Mr. President (Our Governors, Political Office holders and my fellow Nigerians), I suggest we make the best use of this tenure to fix the basic FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEM to all our problems as an emerging Great Country: the AVERAGE NIGERIAN MINDSET! Here we can fix the many issues of our Country by using 'ONE STONE to kill a thousand birds'.
Let us use the MIND RE-DRIVE STRATEGY. This is by renewing the minds of Nigerians (as many are with respect to Integrity, corrupt) through an AGGRESSIVE value reorientation campaign using all forms of Public and Private Agencies and media; Tv, radio, internet Print media, even the movies, musical artistes etc.
If the President through his powers ( with our Governors and other Political office holders) together with the teeming population can reproduce an 'Integrity' mindset in the average citizen, his work will be made much more easy in fixing Nigeria, cutting down the giant tree of Nigeria problems from its MAIN ROOT.
'Get a person to think of doing a thing AND he will ACTUALLY and ENTHUSIASTICALLY do it.' Get the Nigerian person to think of doing the right thing righlty AND he will ACTUALLY and ENTHUSIASTICALLY do the right thing rightly.'
Then will we have many 'high integrity persons' almost everywhere, fixing Nigeria. This way, the 'REAL POSITIVE CHANGE' will be deeply entrenched and sustainable for future generations.
A tree cannot make a forest alone, BUT CAN, through reproduction. Just Imagine if every Nigerian was thinking and acting with integrity at the various levels of our society, how our Country will be, Paradise!
If we fix our 'Integrity' values as individuals and as a Country, God helping us; Nigeria will become Paradise! _St. Nom S.
Pls share till it reaches everyone, We can be Great again, even Greater than ever before!!

Hardworking solo styled VP