Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Jan 24, 2021 12:33:38 GMT 1
Ban on Importation of Fertilizer: Buhari’s Decision Best for Nigeria – FEPSAN Boss, Etuh
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has been praised for his recent pronouncement on the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country.
The Federal Government of Nigeria headed by Muhammadu Buhari has for some years now banned the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country as a means of boosting local production, creating jobs and conserving the country’s foreign reserve.
In pursuance of this, the president has recently ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to release any foreign exchange from the country’s reserve for the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country. The President believes that increasing and sustaining our local industries remains the main key in our pursuit of self-sustenance and economic recovery.
He however advised that fertilizer production and supply chain should be properly monitored to make sure that it gets to the farmers that need them at reasonable price.
The current president of the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) Mr. Thomas Etuh has commended the Buhari Administration for taking the bold decision. Mr. Etuh disclosed that the President’s decision on the matter has encouraged local producers, and also created employment opportunities for our teeming population.
Mr. Etuh praised the President to high heavens for taking this initiative as being capable of developing the agricultural sector and supporting the nation’s drive towards self-sufficiency in food production.
He said that “FEPSAN is grateful to the President for his uncommon commitment to agriculture in general and the fertilizer industry in particular”.
“His efforts towards growing capacity in this most critical sector of the Nigerian economy; has continued to yield tremendous dividends, especially since the launching of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative in December 2016.”
According to the FEPSAN President “Today 35 fertilizer plants are operating at full capacity across the country, employing hundreds of thousands of people directly and indirectly; and supporting farmers with high quality fertilizer inputs.”
He also revealed that billions of naira has been invested in agriculture by both Nigerians and foreign investors. This singular action has brought back the confidence of the private sector on the capacity of the president to steer the country to enhanced local agricultural development, massive employment generation and food security.
The FEPSAN president also pointed out that the Nigerian President did all these amidst the possibilities of pressures from the people he referred to as briefcase investors who are all over the country pushing the nation into importation of all kinds of food items and agricultural inputs. With this, the association appreciates the commitment of the President towards showing the gains so far recorded in the banning of the importation of fertilizer and other food items.
Mr. Etuh also thanked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the professional way it managed the anchor borrowers’ programme, saying that it had helped in re-energizing the agricultural sector and empowered farmers to multiply their productivity.
In the same vein, the Governor of Benue State of Nigeria, Samuel Ortom had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the policy on the ban of rice importation into the country and not to succumb to any pressure to rescind the policy. The governor made the appeal when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed paid him a courtesy visit in Markurdi.
The governor said that his state being the food basket of the nation has been helped by the policy in boosting the production of rice and other agricultural items in the state. He stated that there might be hardship for a little time, but the farmers are now smiling to the bank compared to what had been happening in the past.
The ban on rice importation has remained a major milestone in the development of agriculture in Benue State of Nigeria. Before now, farmers will cultivate rice, after harvest, no market to sell, but today things have changed. Immediately after harvest, the market is there waiting for them. The governor also said that many youths have gone into rice cultivation thereby solving the problem of unemployment in the state.
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has been praised for his recent pronouncement on the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country.
The Federal Government of Nigeria headed by Muhammadu Buhari has for some years now banned the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country as a means of boosting local production, creating jobs and conserving the country’s foreign reserve.
In pursuance of this, the president has recently ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to release any foreign exchange from the country’s reserve for the importation of food items and fertilizers into the country. The President believes that increasing and sustaining our local industries remains the main key in our pursuit of self-sustenance and economic recovery.
He however advised that fertilizer production and supply chain should be properly monitored to make sure that it gets to the farmers that need them at reasonable price.
The current president of the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) Mr. Thomas Etuh has commended the Buhari Administration for taking the bold decision. Mr. Etuh disclosed that the President’s decision on the matter has encouraged local producers, and also created employment opportunities for our teeming population.
Mr. Etuh praised the President to high heavens for taking this initiative as being capable of developing the agricultural sector and supporting the nation’s drive towards self-sufficiency in food production.
He said that “FEPSAN is grateful to the President for his uncommon commitment to agriculture in general and the fertilizer industry in particular”.
“His efforts towards growing capacity in this most critical sector of the Nigerian economy; has continued to yield tremendous dividends, especially since the launching of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative in December 2016.”
According to the FEPSAN President “Today 35 fertilizer plants are operating at full capacity across the country, employing hundreds of thousands of people directly and indirectly; and supporting farmers with high quality fertilizer inputs.”
He also revealed that billions of naira has been invested in agriculture by both Nigerians and foreign investors. This singular action has brought back the confidence of the private sector on the capacity of the president to steer the country to enhanced local agricultural development, massive employment generation and food security.
The FEPSAN president also pointed out that the Nigerian President did all these amidst the possibilities of pressures from the people he referred to as briefcase investors who are all over the country pushing the nation into importation of all kinds of food items and agricultural inputs. With this, the association appreciates the commitment of the President towards showing the gains so far recorded in the banning of the importation of fertilizer and other food items.
Mr. Etuh also thanked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the professional way it managed the anchor borrowers’ programme, saying that it had helped in re-energizing the agricultural sector and empowered farmers to multiply their productivity.
In the same vein, the Governor of Benue State of Nigeria, Samuel Ortom had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the policy on the ban of rice importation into the country and not to succumb to any pressure to rescind the policy. The governor made the appeal when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed paid him a courtesy visit in Markurdi.
The governor said that his state being the food basket of the nation has been helped by the policy in boosting the production of rice and other agricultural items in the state. He stated that there might be hardship for a little time, but the farmers are now smiling to the bank compared to what had been happening in the past.
The ban on rice importation has remained a major milestone in the development of agriculture in Benue State of Nigeria. Before now, farmers will cultivate rice, after harvest, no market to sell, but today things have changed. Immediately after harvest, the market is there waiting for them. The governor also said that many youths have gone into rice cultivation thereby solving the problem of unemployment in the state.