By Muhammad Lawal

The Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kebbi, Alhaji Muhammed Sahabi-Augie on Sunday said the total rice output produced annually in the state has reached over four million tonnes.

Sahabi-Augie told some students on excursion at the Zauro Rice Pyramid near Birnin Kebbi, that the rise in production was as a result of massive support of the Federal Government and the state Governor, Atiku Bagudu.

He noted that before the intervention, the highest rice output was 700 metric tonnes.

The chairman said that the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) has greatly helped farmers in the state and across the country.

He said: Rice production output had increased from 700 metric tonnes to over four million metric tonnes per annum in the state.

Before now, more than 80 per cent of the rice we consume in Nigeria was imported from China, Thailand and other countries, despite the fact that we have enough land and enough farmers to produce rice internally for our consumption.

This is the kind of setback our economy went through.

Agriculture used to be the bedrock of our economy in Nigeria, unfortunately, previous governments didnt have the political will like what we are witnessing in President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

He also hailed Gov. Bagudu for being in the forefront of supporting farmers to overcome their challenges.

We told him the challenges of fertilisers and other inputs to produce rice. He was devastated about our challenges and promised to give us all the necessary support.

Most of the farmers involved are rural farmers who dont have income, because rice farming is capital intensive.

You need fertiliser, water pumping machines, insecticides and other agro chemicals for rice farming.

Sahabi-Augie recalled that the Anchor Borrowers Programme was flagged off by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nov. 17, 2015 in Zauro, during which about 77,000 farmers in the state benefited.

All the farmers were given inputs such as fertiliser, water pumps, agro chemical and seeds, as well as fuel for their water pumping machines.

Before the anchor borrowers programme, our output in Kebbi state was just about 700 metric tons, but in the first year of implementing the programme, we recorded 1.4 million metric tons in the state.

From that time on, our yields have been rising up the time that we are proudly producing four million metric tons per annum. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rita Iliya
PZ Cussons Foundation, a Non-Profit Organisation, on Tuesday donated a shea butter processing facility to a Alubarika Women Cooperative Group in Fazhi community in Edati Local Government Areas of Niger state.

Mrs Jacqueline Ezeokwelume, Executive Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, said at the inauguration of the center that the facility would boost agriculture production in the state.

She said the ultimate objective of the foundation is the total support for agriculture and agro-allied value chain projects is capable of contributing to food security, enhancing smallholder farmers and producers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc is a commercial enterprise dealing with commodities to leading marketing company in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya that manufacture and distribute a range of consumers and durable goods.

Ezeokwelume, who was represented by Mr Peter Ozondu, said the project would empower and address some of the economic challenges faced by women in the area, state and the country at large.

The new facility is to upgrade their traditional method of production and make them internationally competitive, it will also bring together local processors under one umbrella and organise them into a more formal structure as enterprise.

The project is an opportunity to give back to the society and we are committed to executing more sustainable projects that will be beneficial to the country, she said.

Ezeokwelume called on others to emulate the same gesture by harnessing abundant human and natural resources to add value to the products.

In his address, Mohammed Kontagora, President, National Shea Product Association of Nigeria (NSPAN), said that the project was to empower and uplift the economic activities of women at the rural level.

He described women as committed and highly enterprising when given the opportunity to showcase their abilities and promised to support women cooperative groups to meet international standard.

The project will also serve as an intervention to empower women economically and give individuals greater freedom of choice and action.

The Shea butter being processed by Fazhi women have been graded as the best and we like their level of commitment, he said.

Kontagora, however, urged the women and the community to take ownership of the project to add value to their products and warned against felling of economy trees.

In his remarks, Mr Abraham Yisa, a community leader, commended the Board of Trustee of the Foundation for siting the project in the State.

He said it will support governments effort in diversifying the economy of the State by enhancing productivity in agro allied endeavours at rural levels.

This project will serve as employment opportunity to women and help them expand their market, he said.

NAN reports that the facility consists of raw material store, structures for drying, roasting, blending, finished goods store, borehole and other equipment and machineries.

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) says it would not feature in the March 6, Delta local government councils poll.

The state ZLP Chairman, Mr Emeka Nkwoala, disclosed this when he spoke with the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday Asaba.

We are boycotting the election because of the imposition of fees, and perceived lack of trust on the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC).

Local government election in Nigeria has become a mockery of democracy.

We are not participating in the election as long as its conduct remains in the hands of the state Independent Electoral Commission.

We at Zenith Labour Party will not participate in the process. We are aware that over N1billion was allocated to DSIEC for the election and yet the commission taxed every candidate between N150,000 and N50, 000 depending on the position he is aspiring for, he said.

Nkwoala said that even feelers from the electorate indicated that the whole process has been compromised.

I think this is a problem across the country, irrespective of the political party in power.

The party in power always clears all positions as if other parties do not exist at all.

This situation has really endangered the trust of people in state electoral bodies.

We hope that the proposed Electoral Act amendments will cure the trust deficit and increase peoples participation in the grassroots democratic process, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Precious Akutamadu

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Thursday advocated that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), currently before the National Assembly, should allocate 10 per cent oil revenue to host communities.

Wike made the call when members of the National Assembly Committee on PIB visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said it was necessary that the bill specified, in clear terms, developmental projects that the allotted fund should be spent on, to actualise the goal and demands of the host communities.

The governor said that oil-bearing communities have sufferedloss of livelihood due to the activities of international oil companies (IOCs).

It is unfortunate that people produce oil but live in poverty. I believe that the PIB committee will make recommendations of how certain per cent must be given to the host communities.

There are issues of education and health, so dont just say 10 per cent to the oil host communities, it must be tied to specific projects so that whoever is in charge will take note of them, he said.

Wike urged IOCs not to engage host communities in the sharing of funds to avoid their killing one another instead of using such funds for sustainable projects.

He advised that the mistakes associated with the Act establishing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be avoided as it did not specify what projects the commission should embark on in the Niger Delta.

He emphasised the need for the PIB bill, when passed, to be signed and not go the way of the Electoralill that has yet to be assented to.

The governor urged the National Assembly Committee on PIB to ensure that the bill was signed to move the country forward.

Mr Victor Onyemaechi, Deputy Chairman of the committee who led the delegation,said that the members were in Rivers for a town hall meeting with stakeholders to resolve issues of what should be allocated to host communities in the bill.

Onyemaechi commended Wike for the rapid infrastructural transformation ongoing in the state.

He said that a lot of people were misinformed about host communities, associating them with hostility.

What we have seen in the last four days have proved people wrong. As we walked round these few days, we saw that people use wood as bridge to get to where Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is exploring oil.

We also saw the impact of SPDC operations on the peoples means of livelihood. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Maureen Okon

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for introducing the Diaspora Remittance Scheme.

Dabiri-Erewa lauded the CBN on Tuesday in a statement by the commissions Head of Media and Public Relations, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

The statement quoted Dabiri-Erewa as saying that the scheme would impact the Nigerian economy.

She said CBN introduced the NAIRA 4 DOLLAR SCHEME for Diaspora Remittances following its policy of remittance issuance in the currency of remittance.

Dabiri-Erewa said that the scheme was a welcome idea as the policy would encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to send money through official channels.

The CBN Naira 4 Dollar scheme is an incentive for senders and recipients of International Money Transfer whereby recipients of Diaspora Remittances through CBN-licensed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) shall be paid N5 per every dollar received as remittance inflow, it said.

She also said NiDCOM was finalising a Nigerian diaspora investment fund through which Nigerians in the diaspora could structure and channel their investments.

She added that the response of Nigerians living abroad to the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit had been very encouraging and impactful.

In an effort to sustain the encouraging increase in inflows of diaspora remittances into the country, the CBN on March 6, announced the introduction of the CBN Naira 4 Dollar Scheme, an incentive for senders and recipients of International Money Transfers.

Accordingly, all recipients of diaspora remittances through CBN licensed IMTOs shall henceforth be paid N5 for every USD1 received as remittance inflow.

In light of this, the CBN said it would, through commercial banks, pay to remittance recipients the incentive of N5 for every USD1 remitted by the sender and collected by the designated beneficiary.

This incentive is to be paid to recipients whether they choose to collect the USD as cash across the counter in a bank or transfer the same into their domiciliary account.

In effect, a typical recipient of diaspora remittances will, at the point of collection, receive not only the USD sent from abroad but also the additional N5 per USD received. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Peter Uwumarogie

The Gombe state Government on Tuesday flagged off its free annual mass vaccination of livestock against trans-boundary animal diseases and to promote livestock production.

Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, who flagged off the vaccination in Gadam town, Kwami Local Government Area of the state said the exercise reflected his administrations commitment to development of the livestock sub-sector.

Yahaya said that the state had procured enough vaccines and other veterinary equipment in view of the contribution of the sub-sector to development of the economy.

Diseases such as Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia and Peste des Petit Ruminants cause great economic loss to farmers due to high mortality and therefore constitutes a threat to the economy of the state, he said.

The governor said that eradication of trans-boundary animal diseases was significant as such vaccination played roles to animal health and production as well as prevents setbacks in livestock sub-sector.

We will sustain the annual vaccination campaign to ensure that we protect the health of animals while boosting production, Yahaya pledged.

According to him, any efforts toward enhancing the livestock sub-sector will also translate to improvement in the socio-economic status of rural dwellers that are predominantly farmers.

He called for collective responsibility in animal disease control and commended the Federal Governments Livestock Transformation Plan toward controlling animal diseases across the nation.

On his part, Dr Musa Inuwa, Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the exercise was commendable saying, Gombe state is one of the largest livestock producing states.

Inuwa said that the state was contributing to the economic growth of the country with over one million heads of livestock (cattle, sheep and goat).

The director said that the Federal Government and the Gombe state were collaborating toward development of a modern Wawa Zange grazing reserve.

He added that such efforts would help to improve livestock production, wealth creation, reduce poverty and boost food security while reducing the perennial farmer-herder conflicts.

He also commended the state governments efforts in improving animal health and boosting livestock production in the sub-sector.

Inuwa appealed to the government to engage more veterinary personnel as the eight doctors for the state were not enough.

Also, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Mr Mohammed Magaji, said efforts were being sustained in ensuring that livestock sub-sector was improved to create wealth in rural areas.

Magaji also commended the state governments efforts in prioritising the agricultural sector to boost food security in the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Victor Adeoti

The Osun Executive Council has approved Food Support Scheme for vulnerable persons in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council took the decision at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

Gov. Gboyega Oyetola, disclosed this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ismail Omidipan, in Osogbo.

Oyetola noted that the food scheme would be targeting 30,000 poor and vulnerable citizens of the state, starting from March 2021 till November 2022.

He said persons with special needs in all the local government areas of the state would benefit from the scheme.

The governor added that the poor and the vulnerable persons in various churches would be reached through the Christian Association of Nigeria.

He said the ones in the mosques would get theirs through the various Muslim communities.

Oyetola said that the vulnerable groups as well as the artisans would get the food through their associations.

The needy among other ethnic groups in the state would get the food support through their leaders, the traditional worshipers through their association and traders through Iyalojas and Babalojas, he said.

Oyetola said that the food items would be sourced locally in line with his administrations policy of promoting small, micro and medium businesses.

He said the council also approved the allocation of farm lands to youths interested in agriculture. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

State governors and their deputies are to take the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday (March 10).

Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti, disclosed this at a virtual news conference on Thursday.

Fayemi said that the vaccination was part of resolutions made by the governors during an emergency virtual meeting held on Thursday.

The NGF chairman read a communique issued by the governors at the end of the meeting.

He said that the vaccination would be done publicly.

Fayemi said the governors would enlighten more Nigerians on the need to take the vaccine, which, he said, was safe.

He expressed the governors commitment to work with the Federal Government to ensure that the required cold chain would be set up for the vaccine.

The governor encouraged citizens to use the e-registeration portal on the National Primary Health Care Development Agency website nphcsaict.com.ng/publicreg to register for vaccination.

He said that Mr Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at the meeting, briefed the governors on the 3.92m doses of the vaccine received by Nigeria on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the leadership and frontline health workers would be the first to receive the vaccine as from March 6, beginning with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Fayemi gave the assurance that the vaccine was researched to be safe for persons up to 18 years.

The meeting also attended by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu; Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, and other medical experts. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Speaker, DeltaHouse of Assembly, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended the peaceful conduct of Saturday council poll across the state.

Oborevwori made the commendation shortly after he cast his vote at about 10:05 a.m. in Unit 9 Ward 6 in Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area of the state.

I want to tell you that the election is peaceful. Everybody accepts the candidature of Mr Isaiah Isiovwa as Chairman of Okpe Local Government Area.

Victory is sure for the PDP in Okpe Local Government Area, he said.

In the same vein, Isiovwa said that the election was peaceful, adding that the massive turnout was an indication that the electorate were ready to cast their votes.

Also, Dr Michael Tidi, the immediate past Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, commended the peaceful conduct of the election.

Tidi said shortly after he cast his vote at about 10:30 a.m. in Idudu Unit 14 Okere Ward 6, Warri South, that the exercise was peaceful.

The immediate past chairman, who is seeking re-election under the platform of the PDP, said he was optimistic of clinching the chairmanship seat.

He urged those who had yet to exercise their franchise to do so noting that it was their civic rights.

The election is very peaceful. If you were there when I cast my vote, you would have seen the warm reception accorded us.

We believe we will be elected because we went about our campaign, he said.

Meanwhile, Isaac Aguanah, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for the Patani Local Government Area, says he is optimistic of winning the election.

The PDP candidate who voted in Unit 3, Ward 13, noted that the process was peaceful.

Aguanah, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his Bulu Angiama country home, said that when elected, he would ensure meaning development in the area.

My aim is to carry on with the ongoing development of the local government area.

I will also ensure that my administration embarks on human and infrastructural development as well as provision of social amenities, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammad Adamu, has emerged the winner of Saturdays Kafinhausa State Constituency by-election in Jigawa.

Adamu polled 14,924 votes to beat other candidates in the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the poll took place in the 120 polling units in the area.

Prof. Ahmed Kutama, the Returning Officer, declared the result at the collation centre in Kafinhausa Local Government Area.

He said the APC candidate defeated his closest rival, Garba Muhammad Tambale, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 8,612 votes.

The electoral officer declared Adamu the winner, having secured the highest number of votes.

The third contestant was Usman Isyako of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) who secured 72 votes. (NAN)

Source: NAN News