Agriculture
Food Importation: PDP Accuses Buhari, APC of Plot to Punish Nigerians

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of plot to punish Nigerians through his recent policy directive to withdraw foreign exchange on food importaion.
PDP said the directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) was “mean, ill-timed and completely against the wellbeing of Nigerians.
”The party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement in Abuja said the presidential directive would “worsen food scarcity, exacerbate the already harsh economic situation and the general depression, frustration, resentment and despair in our country under President Buhari’s watch.
”It said it was appalling that instead of bringing solutions to the depreciating living conditions in the country, the President was rather imposing more suffering by ordering the removal of subsidy on food even when it was manifestly clear that he had failed on all fronts to achieve any level of food security despite the huge resources available to his administration.
“By the directive, the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have again demonstrated their insensitivity towards millions of Nigerians who are already suffering acute hunger and starvation due to severe food shortage and high prices brought by President Buhari’s misrule., the party said.”
“The PDP states strongly that Nigerians do not, in any way, deserve such suffering being foisted on them by such directive on food.
“Such situation will only breed further despondency among our citizens, heighten our security challenges and put more pressure on compatriots, many of who, in the face of suffering occasioned by APC misrule, are resorting to suicide and slavery mission as options, ” the statement added.
The PDP said it was a complete disservice to Nigerians for the government to place restrictive directives on food for the masses, while interests condoned by the same administration were frittering the people’s common patrimony.
“The PDP wants to believe that while Mr. President enjoys the comfort, luxury, sufficiency and safety of the government house, he is barely aware of the sufferings of Nigerians.
“Our party therefore, charges President Buhari to immediately rescind his directive before it inflicts more damage on the polity.”
Agriculture
Tiv Monarchs Give Herders Ten Days Ultimatum To Vacate Tiv Kingdom

By David Torough, Abuja
The Tiv Area Traditional Council during its emergency meeting held yesterday in the palace of the Tor Tiv in Gboko requested the Governor Hyacinth Alia led administration to create an enabling environment to allow herders’ peaceful exit of farmlands in Tiv Kingdom to facilitate resumption of farming activities.
Consequently, the Council directs political and traditional rulers in each local government area of Tiv Kingdom to peacefully engage the herders to ensure their exit from the local government areas to allow farming resumes.
The Council which was chaired by the Tor Tiv himself, HRM Prof James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse CFR equally appealed to all herders in Tiv Kingdom in Benue State to vacate all Tiv lands before the end of May 2025 to allow farmers return and cultivate their farms in order to avoid the looming hunger in Nigeria.
According to a Communique signed by the Secretary of the Council Mr Shinyi Tyozua which deliberated particularly on the security situation in Tiv Kingdom the Council enumerated the communities worst affected to include those in Kwande, Katsina Ala, Logo, Ukum, Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West Gwer East and Buruku Local Government Areas.
The Council lamented that farming activities in the kingdom have ceased due to the occupation of farmlands by herders for grazing and attacks and killings of farmers who fled stressing that if the situation continues it will ultimately result to hunger in Tiv Kingdom and Nigeria as a whole.
Agriculture
Ondo Govt. Destroys 200kg Seized Cocoa Adulterants

The Ondo State Government, on Thursday, destroyed 200kg adulterants used for adulteration of cocoa beans, seized from a merchant in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Segun Odusanya, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Forestry and produce sub section), supervised the destruction of the 200kg bags of seized adulterants.
Odusanya explained that the destruction was part of government efforts to ensure that the state maintained quality cocoa production in the country.
“Mr governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated the commitment to ensure the state remains the highest producing state with good cocoa quality
“Anyone caught engaging in illegal activities will be prosecuted accordingly.
“Moreover, this action was embarked on to warn cocoa merchants, who intend to engage in illegal activities, to rethink before getting into it.
“We are going to seal any store caught in such illegal activities, the products will be burnt while the merchant will be prosecuted according to the laws of the land.
“If we are saying we are the highest cocoa producing state and we continue to encounter this scenario, it will give us a bad publicity.
“The bad publicity will be in the country and extend to the international market, and we don’t want that,” he said.
The permanent secretary, therefore, commended Aiyedatiwa for graciously approving the recruitment of 60 new staff to checkmate the activities of cocoa merchants in the state.
“Mr governor has supported us, he has said we should recruit more people to guide against any adulteration and ensure we have a good quality cocoa beans.
“I must commended our task force committee for ensuring that the state holds its position in the country and the international market,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Tunji Akinnadeju, a Director of Produce (DP3) in the Grading and Allied Department of the ministry, said the adulterants were intercepted at Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
Akinnadeju said that the owner of the adulterants took to his heels at the time of arrest.
“As we all know that cocoa is being sold in weight and after adding all these things, it will be sold at high prices, which is not good enough.
“So, doing that will bring a lot of damage to the image of the state and the country at large in the international market,” he said.
Also, Mr Sunday Adegbola, a Director of Produce Licensing in the ministry, said the merchants’ actions could affect people during consumption of the cocoa products, if care was not taken.
Adegbola, who pledged that the ministry would not rest until the state was free from adulterated cocoa beans, said the nefarious action could be attributed to the price tag at the international market.
“It is the price at the international market and the price is better for the farmers, not for the people who use adulterants.
“With this action, many people will drink cocoa as a chocolate powder and other materials from cocoa beans which has been adulterated.
“The consumption of these chemical products will also affect humans,” he said. (NAN)
Agriculture
NNPC Foundation Empowers Vulnerable Farmers in Oyo, Osun

No fewer than 500 farmers on Tuesday benefited from the NNPC Foundation agricultural training initiative for vulnerable farmers in Osun and Oyo States.
The training, marking the flag-off in the South-West zone of Nigeria, was held at the Ilora Baptist Grammar School, Ilora, Oyo State.
The foundation manages the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of NNPC Limited, focusing on education, health, environment and energy access to communities nationwide.
The Managing Director of the foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, said the initiative demonstrated the commitment to food security and economic empowerment for Nigerian farmers.
Arukwe, who was represented by Dr Bala David, the foundation’s Executive Director, Programme Development, said the project aimed to build resilience, boost productivity and promote sustainable agriculture.
“We are training 6,000 farmers across six zones in climate-smart practices, modern techniques, quality inputs, and market access,” she said.
She, therefore, urged farmers to participate actively and embrace the opportunity to help secure Nigeria’s food and economic future.
Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, commended NNPC Foundation for the training and empowerment programme.
Olaleye, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Ezekiel, the ministry’s Director of Regulation and Enforcement, said empowering vulnerable farmers was crucial in addressing national food security challenges.
He added that the initiative aligned with Oyo State’s agricultural transformation agenda of Gov. Seyi Makinde.
“We remain committed to supporting initiatives that uplift farmers and improve productivity and livelihoods,” Olaleye said.
He encouraged participants to make the most of the training opportunity to improve their practices.
He also called for future collaboration between the foundation and the ministry to achieve greater impact.
The training consultant, Prof. Daniel Ozok, described vulnerable farmers as smallholders with an under-five-hectare farm size, mainly made up of women, youth, and the elderly.
“These farmers are most affected by climate shocks, hence the need for focused training,” Ozok said.
According to him, training equips them with modern techniques and strategies for improved productivity and market access.
Some of the participants expressed gratitude to NNPC Foundation and promised to apply the knowledge gained from the training.
NAN reports that a medical screening exercise was organised by the foundation for participants on the sidelines of the training.
Training initiative would later be held for farmers in Ekiti and Ondo States on a date different from that of Ogun and Lagos States. (NAN)