Over dependent on oil and gas has made us forget so many things – Ogbeh
Federal Government at the weekend, assured Nigerians that the country will not run short of yams following the recent exportation of 72 tonnes of the commodity to Europe and the United States of America.
Audu Ogbeh
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, stated this at a media briefing on ‘Nationwide Advocacy on Agricultural Quality Control and Standardization’ across the six geo-political zones.
The take off for the advocacy will be on July 24, 2017, in Kano State for North-West to Borno for North-East, to Benue for North Central, to Enugu for South-East, to Rivers for South-South and Lagos State for South-West.
Ogbeh also hinted that there were moves for massive production of yams for both export and local consumption, which a prototype plough for making huge yam heaps was being developed and will soon be deployed to farmers, and that would cushion the effect of young yam farmers leaving for the cities.
He also decried the negative comments some people make about government effort to boost the economy by using technical terms that portrays it in bad light.
He said: “Over dependent on oil and gas has made us forget so many things. We cannot continue to say that there is ‘Nigerian standard’ it has to be worldwide. It should not be about export but our health and nutrition security. We are living away from just eating to eating well.
“Previous efforts of the Ministry only geared towards increased cultivation and output per unit area with less emphasis on quality and standards of our produce. The ban on dry beans from Nigerian origin by European Union (EU) therefore geared our attention to what is an eye opener that we have actually been consuming poison unknowingly to us.
“Most of the time we eat poison because of the way we handle our good production from the seed we cultivate to the fertiliser we use to the chemical we spray to the way we process the food, preservation and packaging. We are determining whether we are eating well or badly. It is not what we export but health of the larger society.
“Nigeria accounts for 61 per cent of world production and we have 60 varieties of yam cultivated in this country. There has never been yam shortage in this country. We will not allow Nigerians to run short of yams.
“A prototype of plough for yam production is been developed to tackle the challenge of young people moving to the city will soon be deployed to the farms to cover that gap.
We have to adjust technology to suit our demand.”
Meanwhile, the Minister sounded a warning to fertiliser blenders, and threatened to shut down their facilities if found cutting corners.
“Let me sound this warning to fertiliser blenders, don’t be tempted to cut corners. If we catch any of you we will shut you down and it will take you a long time to get your business revived. If we catch you, you will have a long journey with the police and in the court.
“We shall shut down your operations. We have brought down the price of fertiliser to N5, 500 per bag because the President made arrangement with the King of Morocco and the result has been very favourable. For those who abuse it, you will have days of tears even if you think you are making money now”, he stated.
Vanguard
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, stated this at a media briefing on ‘Nationwide Advocacy on Agricultural Quality Control and Standardization’ across the six geo-political zones.
The take off for the advocacy will be on July 24, 2017, in Kano State for North-West to Borno for North-East, to Benue for North Central, to Enugu for South-East, to Rivers for South-South and Lagos State for South-West.
Ogbeh also hinted that there were moves for massive production of yams for both export and local consumption, which a prototype plough for making huge yam heaps was being developed and will soon be deployed to farmers, and that would cushion the effect of young yam farmers leaving for the cities.
He also decried the negative comments some people make about government effort to boost the economy by using technical terms that portrays it in bad light.
He said: “Over dependent on oil and gas has made us forget so many things. We cannot continue to say that there is ‘Nigerian standard’ it has to be worldwide. It should not be about export but our health and nutrition security. We are living away from just eating to eating well.
“Previous efforts of the Ministry only geared towards increased cultivation and output per unit area with less emphasis on quality and standards of our produce. The ban on dry beans from Nigerian origin by European Union (EU) therefore geared our attention to what is an eye opener that we have actually been consuming poison unknowingly to us.
“Most of the time we eat poison because of the way we handle our good production from the seed we cultivate to the fertiliser we use to the chemical we spray to the way we process the food, preservation and packaging. We are determining whether we are eating well or badly. It is not what we export but health of the larger society.
“Nigeria accounts for 61 per cent of world production and we have 60 varieties of yam cultivated in this country. There has never been yam shortage in this country. We will not allow Nigerians to run short of yams.
“A prototype of plough for yam production is been developed to tackle the challenge of young people moving to the city will soon be deployed to the farms to cover that gap.
We have to adjust technology to suit our demand.”
Meanwhile, the Minister sounded a warning to fertiliser blenders, and threatened to shut down their facilities if found cutting corners.
“Let me sound this warning to fertiliser blenders, don’t be tempted to cut corners. If we catch any of you we will shut you down and it will take you a long time to get your business revived. If we catch you, you will have a long journey with the police and in the court.
“We shall shut down your operations. We have brought down the price of fertiliser to N5, 500 per bag because the President made arrangement with the King of Morocco and the result has been very favourable. For those who abuse it, you will have days of tears even if you think you are making money now”, he stated.
Vanguard
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