NEWS
Ogun: Stakeholders Express Concerns over Continued Hike in Prices of Foodstuffs
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Stakeholders in Ogun have raised concerns over the continued hike in prices of food items across the nation.
The stakeholders, in separate interviews in Abeokuta on Monday, identified the causes and proffered solutions to the challenges, amidst reported government’s interventions in the agricultural sector.
Mr Abiodun Ogunjimi, the Secretary of All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ogun chapter, noted that the situation had reached an alarming state.
Ogunjimi listed the possible causes of soaring prices of foodstuffs to include: high cost of transportation, increasing inability of farmers to go to farms due to insecurity, foreign exchange crisis, climate change and lack of access to loan facilities by farmers.
He advised the Federal Government to synergise with state governments to create enabling environment to boost food production.
The AFAN secretary also urged the Ogun government to check the adverse effects of urbanisation on agriculture.
“The increasing rate of migration from rural areas in the state to urban centres has led many farmlands to be abandoned and converted to other uses that are not beneficial to agriculture.
“Government needs to pay adequate attention to rural dwellers and ensure that its presence is felt so as to discourage such migration,” he said.
He also called on government to embark on effective irrigation projects across the state to reduce sole dependence on rain for farming.
“This measure will enable farmers to farm all-year round and boost production, thereby forcing prices of food items down,” he said.
Ogunjimi stressed the need for the state government to engage in buying farm produce directly from farmers to discourage movement of food items to neighborhouring countries.
He noted that such step had become necessary to address the loss being incurred by farmers through the activities of middlemen who usually buy from them at ‘ridiculously low prices’ and sell at high prices to consumers.
Ogunjimi also advised the government to ensure that farmers were involved in the formulation and implementation of policies on agriculture.
“It is the farmers who know better what their challenges are and the way to resolve them.
“It is not government officials who sit in the comfort of their offices and just imagining the problems and proffering solutions,” he said.
In his contribution, Mr Austin Owezie, an agriculture expert, called for deployment of more security personnel in rural areas, particularly the forests from where kidnappers, bandits and herders often operate.
“Security of farmers is crucial to food production and unless this is priotitised, all other efforts will just be a waste,” he said.
Owezie, who frowned at importation of seedlings for planting, noted that doing this would mean that Nigeria had indirectly handed over its food production to foreign countries.
According to him, such situation will engender ‘food colonialism’.
He, therefore, called for increased funding of the various agricultural research institutes across the country to enable them assist in the development and use of indigenous seedlings to boost agriculture.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, said that the state government had continued to invest in agriculture to boost food production.
Owotomo said that government had massively supported farmers with inputs and also built their capacities toward increased productivity.
He said that more than 30,352 farmers had benefitted from various input distributions at subsidised rate of 50 per cent under various intervention programmes.
The commissioner listed some the inputs distributed to the farmers to include: fertilisers, urea, herbicides, cassava bundles, faro and ofada rice seeds as well as maize seeds.
“Capacity building was also organised for more than 46,000 small-holder farmers on sustainable agriculture, improved knowledge and productivity under the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES Fadama RA 2 project and Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP).
“The ministry carried out reforms on agricultural land allocation to investors to enhance access to agricultural land in which a total of 8,550 hectares had been allocated to private investors across the state on different agricultural value chains,” he said.
On loan facilities, Owotomo said that government had disbursed N50 million loan to Ijebu Development Initiative on Poverty Reduction (IDIPR), Eriwe, Ijebu-Ode.
He further stated no fewer than 587 VCDP beneficiaries across the eight participating council areas had been linked with FCMB for financial credit.
Ogunjimi added that 95 small-holder farmers had been able to access loans from FCMB for cassava and rice production, valued at N26.7 million.
The commissioner explained that the government had already mapped out strategies to ensure that farmers and their produce were secured to enhance productivity.
Dr Samuel Nzekwe, a former President of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), in his submission, emphasised the need for fixing the economy for agricultural sector to thrive.
Nzejwe urged governments at various levels to invest in provision of critical infrastructure, such as stable power supply, good road network and adequate security, among others, to drive the economy.
“The availability of stable electricity supply will help both small and medium businesses to thrive, as their impacts will positively contribute to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“Government needs to proactively address the challenges that are not making the real sector to produce enough goods and services for local consumption,” he said.
The former ANAN president also urged the federal government to repair all the nation’s refineries and halt importation of crude oil.
This, according to him, is also a contributing factor to the continuous rise in inflation rate and volatility in foreign exchange.
Dr Tunde Adeoye, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, said government needed to exercise political will to address the current security challenge in the country.
Adeoye noted that once the country is seen to be secure, foreign investors would be attracted, foreign earnings increased and the economy stabilised. (NAN)
NEWS
Ajuri, Tinubu’s Spokesperson Takes Exit, Cites Mesical Reaaona
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Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President Chief Ajuri Ngelale has quit his job. He said in a statement in a Abuja that he would proceed on an ” indefinite leave, to deal with ” medical matters” affecting him amd hia immediate family.Hos statement reads: “On Friday, I submittd a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.
While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and family”NEWS
Fuel Crisis: 1000 CSOs Fault Tinubu’s Economic Team, Want Immediate Reconstitution
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By David Torough, Abuja
About 1000 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), under the auspices of Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations (CCSOs), on Saturday Faults President Bola Tinubu’s Economic Team and called for immediate reconstitution.Expressing deep concerns over the state of the economy and escalating fuel prices compounding the hardship of Nigerians despite the recent protest, the groups said Tinubu must act now to avert disintegration.
The groups said the current situation across the country has cast doubt on the competence of the Tinubu economic team and called for urgent review. The CCSOs in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed, pointed out that the plight of Nigerians is sinking low and their patience is wearing off following the deteriorating economy.The statement reads in part, “The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the Nigerian economy, which is becoming increasingly unbearable for millions of citizens.“It is evident that the recent hike in fuel prices and the unstable exchange rate are the direct results of economic mismanagement by those responsible for overseeing our nation’s financial policies. The ripple effects of these failures are being felt in every household across the country, worsening poverty and crippling economic activity.“The floating of the Naira, which was initially sold to Nigerians as a means of stabilizing our currency, has done little to prevent the continued devaluation of the Naira. In fact, the exchange rate disparity has widened significantly, with the Naira losing value daily, impacting the cost of living, basic commodities, and inflation.“While this policy was expected to ease foreign exchange pressure, it has instead deepened economic challenges due to poor implementation and lack of strategic foresight.”The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as a death trap of indebtedness of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which also they claimed had slowed down importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, hence the current shortage of PMS across the country. “Of equal concern is the precarious position of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which finds itself in a debt trap, with global suppliers of petroleum products losing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to honour its obligations.“Reports have shown that NNPCL has accrued debts totalling over $6 billion, causing petrol supply shortages. International suppliers are now reluctant to continue providing fuel on credit, exacerbating supply chain issues and pushing up the price of petrol at the pump”, they claimed.The CSOs also asserted that, “We hold the managers of the Nigerian economy responsible for these disturbing developments. Their inability to provide sound policies and long-term solutions has left the nation in this predicament.“It is clear that there is no cohesive strategy to address the rising debt, the growing imbalance in the foreign exchange market, or the country’s heavy reliance on importation for petrol supply. The recent hike in fuel prices reflects the collapse of responsible economic management and accountability.“Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of these failures. Businesses are shutting down, transportation costs have skyrocketed, and citizens are spending an increasingly larger percentage of their income on basic necessities. This state of affairs is unacceptable.”The group therefore placed some demands; Immediate intervention from the government: There needs to be a comprehensive and transparent plan to stabilize the Naira, restore confidence in the petroleum supply chain, and negotiate a restructuring of NNPC’s debts to ensure continuous fuel supply.“Accountability for economic mismanagement: Those responsible for the reckless management of our foreign exchange policies and NNPC’s debts must be held accountable. The government must also disclose its plan to mitigate the rising fuel costs and economic burden on Nigerians.“A return to sound financial policy: The floating of the Naira has proven ineffective under current conditions. We call for a re-evaluation of monetary and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy, reduce inflation, and attract foreign investment.“In conclusion, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations reiterates that without immediate corrective measures, the economic situation will continue to deteriorate, leading to further hardship for the average Nigerian. The government must act decisively and responsibly to reverse this downward spiral”, they added.NEWS
Tension in Makurdi Community as NAF Personnel Demolishes Houses, Destroys Rice Farm
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There is growing tension in Ugondu community, Makurdi LGA, Benue state by young people opposed to the demolition of houses and destruction of rice farms in the area allegedly on the directives of senior Air Force officer, Air Commodore Akinbuwa Ayodele.
It was learnt that Commodore Ayodele, who is facing multiple legal actions following dispute over a plot of land located on George Akume Way Makurdi and owned in blatant disregard to the judicial process embarked on destruction of structures on the plot.
Eyewitness said when the equipment arrived no one imagined it was for destruction.
But in a militray- like operation, two flats of two units each, completely roofed, electrified and plumbing work completed were among the structures demolished as the bulldozers rolled over rice farms in the vicinity as well.
It was learnt that last year, a Makurdi High Court presided by Justice Mary Ijohor, granted an order of perpetual injunction, in the same matter, upon application by the supposed owner of the plot and awarded the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) only, as cost. The matter, enforcement of fundamental rights, was marked as MHC/582/M/2023.
Godwin Akor whose rice farm was destroyed in a chat with newsmen said that he was shocked at the development. He however said he won’t speak more on the matter as it is still before the court.