Buhari says no money for food importation, tasks farmers on massive food production
- Farmers in Nigeria have been charged to harder
- The call was made by President Buhari
- Buhari said there is no money for food importation
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President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian farmers on the need to embark on massive productive agricultural activities this farming season as Nigeria has no money for food importation.
The president gave the challenge shortly after observing this year’s Eid prayer alongside members of his family and few presidential aides at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Eid-El-Fitr prayer was observed in line with the protocol against mass gathering issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, while the protocol of social distancing was also exhibited during the two-raka’at prayer.
President Buhari, who spoke to State House correspondents, said: “I hope the raining season would be bountiful, so that we get a lot of food.
“I wish the farmers will go to farms and save the lives so that we can produce what we need in sufficient quantity so that we don’t have to import food.
“In any, we don’t have any money to import food. So we must produce what we are going to eat.’’
On the COVID 19 pandemic, President Buhari reiterated his advice to Nigerians to strictly adhere to guidelines and measures put in place against the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
He noted that the pandemic had reduced both developed and developing nations to the same level, and advised Nigerians to always be careful so as to avoid infections.
He said: “Nigerians can see that the COVID-19 has reduced us, both the developing and developed countries, to the same level. In fact, we have least casualties than they we have.
“So, it’s a very frightening development and I advised Nigerians to be very careful and take the advice of the Ministry of Health. Ministers of Health have been doing very well, speaking and educating the citizens on the deadly virus.
“So Nigeria, we should be very careful.’’
The First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, who also observed the Eid prayer with the president, thanked almighty Allah for sparing the lives of Muslim ummah throughout the Ramadan period.
Aisha, who enjoined the Nigerian women to continue to be on the fore front of the fight the Coronavirus pandemic across the country, prayed that Allah would forgive the sins of those who lost their lives as a result of the virus, and grant them Aljanah Firdausi (Paradise).
“We must thank the almighty Allah for the successful completion of the holy Month of Ramadan, despite the current difficult circumstances we found ourselves.
“I wish to thank the Federal Ministry of Health and also the NCDC for their efforts in combating the pandemic,’’ she said.
President Buhari had on May 22 pledged to conduct his Eid prayers with his family at home as directed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who is also the President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI).
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Nigerian farmers and stakeholders in the agro-sector, have warned that the country is in danger of food shortage as the COVID-19 pandemic hits hard on farmers and the agricultural sector.
This was contained in a statement made available on Monday, May 4 and jointly issued by Voices of Food Security, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, the Association of Small-Scale Agro-Producers in Nigeria, Ogbonge Women Farmers’ Association, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria.
The group expressed concerns that smallholder farmers are not given adequate support or well catered for in its palliatives even as they grapple with the challenge of feeding the nation during the lockdown and immediately afterwards.
They further disclosed that lockdowns and police intimidation, as a result, are affecting farmers ability to access inputs, especially in states far away from ports where trailers have to travel long distances in order to reach farmers.
Part of the statement read: “We applaud the government’s prompt efforts at ensuring that the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill was signed into law.
“We also applaud the Central Bank’s unveiling of its plans to inject N3.5 trillion to support the economy through a stimulus package.
“Most recent federal government guidelines for the movement of agricultural produce to curtail food shortages and ensure effective 2020 crop production is appreciated. However, there is still silence on how smallholder farmers who have already suffered losses can be compensated.
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Source: Legit.ng
