Connect with us

Nigeria

President Buhari Approves Farm Estates In 108 Senatorial Districts

Published

3 years ago

on

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to set up integrated farm estates in 108 senatorial districts across the country.

The executive secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, disclosed this at the weekend to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He appealed to state governors to key into the president’s desire to make land available for farm estates to be established, which is expected to take away thousands of youths from the unemployment market and engage them productively so as to achieve food security in the country.

Ikonne said the Kogi State government has donated 700 hectares of land to NALDA for the integrated land estate while the 100 hectares of land donated by the Ogun State government had been cleared.

He said, “What you see is that agriculture is one of Mr President’s heartbeat projects, and he wants to see that we achieve food security in the country and NALDA is strictly under the supervision of Mr President and that is why you can see the progress that we’re making.

“I believe that the commissioning of the Daura Integrated Farm Estate in Katsina State which has the capacity to take in 1,500 young farmers, is a stepping stone or an eye-opener for Nigerians towards Mr President’s passion in achieving food security.

“Now, we didn’t stop at the Daura project, as we speak, the Integrated Farm Estate in Borno is 75 percent completed and we are also doing in 40 locations, fish villages to engage women to take in those people who are coming, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in order to get them reintegrated and get them engaged, thereby providing job opportunities for them.

“As Mr President is pursuing achieving food security, at the same time also creating job opportunities for Nigerians is on the front burner and that is what we are achieving, or we are doing using the NALDA platform,” Ikonne said.

The NALDA boss continued, “Again, in Kogi State, we have received from the governor 700 hectares of land, which is the first phase of that project that will be commissioned this year. Clearing is about to commence and we believe that the first phase of that project, which will engage over 4,000 youths into the entire agricultural process, thereby creating employment and reducing herders/farmers’ clash.”

“That farm in Kogi will address issues between herders/farmers because we are going to cluster the herdsmen, provide them with pastures and the facilities they need like water and others that will help to support their business in cattle rearing.

“Again, in Ogun State, we have finished clearing 100 hectares of land and the access road has been provided in that place and that farm will take in 2,500 youths. The president gave a directive that we must make agriculture attractive to young Nigerians so that they will be engaged and I’m glad to inform you that that directive is not being taken with levity because when the president speaks, it’s a command and you can’t wait when you have a command from Mr President, knowing fully well that agriculture is his heartbeat and he wants to achieve food security.

“Not only in these two states that I mentioned, we are in Abia State where we are putting up a fish village to engage women in fish production and packaging and in all our farm estates, a finished product is our target, so that Nigeria will cut the chain of exporting raw materials and at the same time buy them because most of agricultural produce are purely raw materials, like ginger, garlic, onions and all that, they export them and then they processed and come back to us.

“So, we are putting up processing centres in all our farm centres in order to create more job opportunities for Nigerians,” Ikonne said

“If not for Mr. President’s proactive initiative towards farming, the COVID-19 would have knocked everybody out, having been locked in a room or in a house for one year, nobody went to farm, but because of the proactive initiatives he took before COVID-19 came, there was enough food for Nigerians to eat.

“Going further, we are seeking more land donations so that states, governments and communities should make their lands available. The president has directed that we should put up this integrated farm estates in the remaining 108 senatorial districts and NALDA is ready to roll out, and for those states that have made the land available, they can as well testify that no time is being wasted as we have swung into action.

“So, I call on other state governors to key into Mr President’s desire and make land available for this farm estates to be established, as this will take away youths from the unemployment market and engage them and we’ll be able to achieve food security in a very short period of time,” he said

Culled from the Leadership News Nigeria

Texas Guardian News
Latest posts by Texas Guardian News (see all)
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

News

Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

Published

2 weeks ago

on

April 16, 2024

By

Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

Texas Guardian News
Latest posts by Texas Guardian News (see all)
Continue Reading

News

Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

Published

2 weeks ago

on

April 16, 2024

By

Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

Texas Guardian News
Latest posts by Texas Guardian News (see all)
Continue Reading

News

Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

Published

1 month ago

on

March 30, 2024

By

Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

Texas Guardian News
Latest posts by Texas Guardian News (see all)
Continue Reading

Trending