By Our Reporter
President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has made remarkable progress in the agriculture value chain, from fertilizers to rice, to animal feed production towards the Nation’s food security.
The president, who revealed this in his Independence Day broadcast on Tuesday, warned that the country must not “go back to the days of importing food and thereby exporting jobs’’.
He pledged that his administration would sustain its agricultural policies aimed at making the country self-sufficient in food production through massive investments in agriculture as well as the use of modern agricultural inputs and implements.
“We shall sustain these policies to ensure additional investments are channeled, thereby creating more jobs in the sector.
“We must not go back to the days of importing food and thereby exporting jobs,’’ he added.
Buhari observed that his administration’s commitment to achieving macroeconomic stability and economic diversification, had been underscored by the merger of the Ministry of Finance with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
“This combined Ministry has the important mandate to enhance the management of domestic and global fiscal risks; coordinate policies with the trade and monetary authorities; raise and deploy revenues to fund budgeted expenditure; and integrate annual budgets and medium-term fiscal strategies,’’ he said.
The President, who reiterated his call for unity across the diverse socio-ethnic groups in the country, expressed the hope that Nigeria would emerge from its “present challenges stronger and more resilient than ever’’.
He said: “Nigeria will emerge from our present challenges stronger and more resilient than ever – but only if all of us join hands to entrench Good Governance, foster Inclusive Economic Development, and defend and protect our Nation from all those who would wish us ill.’’(NAN)
