Nigerians guilty of importation, recklessness – FG

…Don’t blame govt on economic crisis
Tom Okpe, Abuja
The Minister of Agriculture and rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe has emphasized on the role of agriculture in this era of economic diversification from oil saying we are all guilty of importation and recklessness therefore, none should blame government.

Ogbe also said the Nigeria naira used to be #1 to $1.60 but today, it is #360 to $1 and we think we are comfortable, advising Nigerians of the need to cut down intake of imported goods and services.

The Minister who spoke in his office in Abuja on Wednesday (Yesterday) while receiving the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) on a visit said there was economic crisis in Nigeria, but not food, there was crisis because the Dollar went up forcing down the naira and things went up both in our exchange component and in everything we do.

He said: “I want to remind us that the world has given us notice, America, Europe China and Japan that in a short while we will no longer need petrol, diesel and Kerosene as the Japanese are using water now to power their cars, using water to power their hydrogen and generating energy. If in 5 or 10 years, Nigeria does not generate money from oil and gas, we have to come back to agriculture; we have to cut down our appetite for impulse because the Dollar simply will not be available. We are all guilty of importation and recklessness so we do not have to blame government; we need to cut down our intake on importation. The Naira used to be 1Naira to $1.60 but today it is $1 to #360 and we think we are comfortable. We should cooperate to cut down our appetite for imports; our crisis will never go away”.

According to Chief Ogbe who lauds the farmers and millers for the good work they are doing for the country said, “This meeting holding today I allowed it because of its importance to the country. I extend to you the appreciation of President, Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the good work you are doing in agriculture especially in rice production. I can say that you the Farmers and Millers have done more than enough to feed Nigerians. Nobody can count how much you have come to rescue our country that was close to disaster.

“We are achieving something and you are the ones doing it, as you said the biggest problem of the Nigerian farmer and processing is smuggling. Not too long ago the World Bank said we are losing 5 Billion Dollars a year to smugglers.

“I want to assure you that the Senate is not sleeping over this as we have had series of meetings over it and at the level of the executive; the vice president has had over five meetings about this with different groups which I have been present. We brought a copy of the memorandum we had with the public companies when Obasanjo was in Office; because we got so angry with smuggling at that appoint, I persuaded them to shot the boys concerned and the people there lay on their bellies begging. That boarder remained closed for months.

“We have been nice to our neighbors but we have seen that there is no reciprocity because people are doing things deliberately hurting us as a nation. We are reviving that memorandum, though we want to be good neighbors and in the body of ECOWAS, but we cannot pay sacrifices to please somebody else; steps are being taken and you will hear it in a short while”, he said.

The Minister observed that in the interim, what the farmers have done is the infinite thing that will smear the name of smuggling adding that if the rice price falls to the range of 10,000 Naira, then the smugglers margin becomes too small which will discourage them.

“We will help you ease the price of rice farming, last year, we purchased about 80 Threshers and this year, we hope to purchase another 2,500 and reapers to distribute to your farms where you will thresh it to the machines to winnow, taking away much stress. I assure you, government will continue to purchase machinery to support rice farmers to be able to keep the price we have agreed, 10,000. Once you can achieve that, then rice production will become cheaper and easier; since we cannot afford to buy harvesters yet. We hope as time goes on; most farmers will have better access to better mechanization.

“We need to improve on our processing to avoid toxic metal into our finished products; these are very dangerous and harmful to human health. We want to persuade the Custom Service to reduce the tax on stainless containers which will serve that good purpose as that is the standard worldwide. Industrialization is very tough here but government is doing its best; we are ready to support the small millers. We are trying to organize the farmers into coorporative society so that we can reach them better.

“If we are able to keep these prices stable and are able to control smuggling, then we must have achieved our aims. You should keep us informed where there are challenges of any kind between the millers and the farmers as no country can claim to be strong when the people are hungry”.

Ogbe warned that the millers and the farmers should try to keep the pace of production so that the smugglers will not take their advantage because the people of Nigeria will be at the receiving end.

In his earlier remarks, the Chairman of RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo said their only enemy is smuggling which makes the price of local rice high but with the attention government is giving to farmers in the country, they will be able to force them out.

“The issue of price of rice going high in the country is a thing of concern to us the farmers and millers. People think our rice is more expensive. Our major problem is the smugglers; we want government to help us in this situation so that the smuggled rice into the country will stop,” he said.