PHOTOS: Nigeria Has To Feed Its People And Have Enough To Export — Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu and Governor Mohammed Umar Bago

As an emergency intervention move, the President asked subnational governments to assist federal efforts by implementing salary awards in their respective states.

Inaugurating the Food Security and Agricultural Mechanization Programme in Niger State on Monday, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed the administration's commitment to maintaining food security and safeguarding regional industries for long-term economic development.

The project, an initiative of the government of Niger State, aims to enhance the state's agro-value chain on a wide scale by deploying state-of-the-art agricultural machinery and technology.

President Tinubu stated during the inauguration that the occasion marks a new phase in the agenda for agricultural mechanization and food security, stressing the need for Nigeria to increase its ability to feed its citizens and produce enough for export.

“We have seen the level of commitment here. We have seen leadership. The success of any leader will depend on the ability to do what needs to be done when it ought to be done. It is now time for us to address the challenges and make Nigeria an economy of opportunities. We must care for our people; re-orient our people. I do not see why Nigeria cannot feed all students in its schools.

“I know what it means for roaming cows to eat crops and the vegetation of our land. I know it is painful. But when we re-orient the herder and make provision for cattle rearing, we can address that. You are the governors who are to provide us with land. I, as President, I am committed to providing a comprehensive programme that will solve this problem,” the President said.

In addition, Tinubu asked state governments to establish pay awards as an expedient intervention tool to support federal efforts to lessen citizen burdens while waiting for a hike in the minimum wage.

“I am equally here to partner with you to banish hunger. You are doing the job. And it is necessary for me to support you, it is mandatory as Nigerians. When you read newspapers, some of us are confused about whether to abuse the past or the present or to make excuses for the future. But that is not in my dictionary. I think action now, re-engineer the finances of our country and steer it on the right path.

“The student loan programme will commence. There will be unemployment benefits for our graduates. The social security benefits for the elderly and the vulnerable will commence. We are fine-tuning all of that area. We need to relieve our people of hunger. Let all the sub-nationals start paying wage awards, pending when the minimum wage is increased. I am not giving an order; I am only appealing. NEC should adopt this,” the President said.

Governor Mohammed Umar Bago thanked the President for accepting his invitation and kicking off the facilities, mentioning that four states—Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Lagos—had already inked memoranda of understanding on forming alliances to advance agriculture.

“For us, agriculture is key to addressing the challenges in critical sectors of our economy, and we shall seize every opportunity for the attainment of growth and engender prosperity for the people of our beloved state and by extension our country, Nigeria,” the Governor said.

The federal government has signed an agreement with the Brazilian government and the German Deutsch Bank Group as financiers of a facility of 995 million euros for the Green Imperative Programme, which will provide mechanization hubs across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria when implemented, according to Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.

“A memorandum of understanding between the federal government and the John Deer Group, a subsidiary of Tata Equipment, was signed. The manufacturer has signed to deliver 10,000 units of tractors and implement in tranches of 2,000 units per annum for the next five years.

“The Greener Hope Initiative is another veritable platform the federal government is deploying to ultimately change the deficit narrative in the Nigerian agricultural mechanization space,” he added.

While in Niger State, President Tinubu also paid visits to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, two former heads of state of Nigeria, with whom he had productive talks about the country's progress.

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