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Tag: Audu Ogbeh

  • Herdsmen/farmers clashes may worsen without ranches – Food Council

    The National Food Security Council warned on Monday that the deadly clashes between farmers and herdsmen could get worse next year if efforts are not intensified to create cattle ranches or provide better security against rustling in the country.

    The Council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari and inaugurated on March 26, gave the warning in Abuja.

    At a meeting which took place at the Presidential Villa and chaired by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, the Council also charged the President to quickly approve the establishment and training of agro-rangers as special unit to assist security agencies check the fatal clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

    Others at the meeting were Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

    Six ministers – Audu Ogbe (Agriculture), Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Okechukwu Enelamah (Trade and Investment), Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Interior), Ibrahim Jibril (Environment), Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources) and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, also attended the meeting.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Ogbeh, said: “We have to move the cattle to the good old grazing reserves and we just have to create environment for them; clusters of ranches where they have water, grass and security against rustlers.

    “For nearly 40 years we didn’t do much about cattle, we also forgot that cattle contribute six percent to GDP. The cheapest way of rearing cattle is by roaming around with them as you see now. If you go into a ranch it is not cheap and government cannot subsidize cattle rearing like they do in Europe, where they subsidize every cow with €6 which is about N2,400. We cannot afford that.

    “So, the thing is to create those ranches and the herdsmen are prepared to pay tax to support the programme. If we don’t do it, next year will be worse than this year I assure you.”

     

     

  • Nigeria responsible for collapse of our rice mills – Thailand

    Nigeria responsible for collapse of our rice mills – Thailand

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh says Thailand has accused Nigeria of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills following the drastic fall in rice importation from the country.

    The minister made this known at a meeting of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative ( PFI ) and leadership of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers of Nigeria ( FEPSAN ) held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

    The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ogbeh said Thailand’s Ambassador to Nigeria made the “accusation’’ when he visited him in February.

    According to the minister, the ambassador lamented that the collapse of the rice mills has increased the unemployment rate in his country from 1.2 per cent to 4 per cent.

    “Just like two weeks ago, the Ambassador of Thailand came to my office and said to me that we have really dealt with them.

    “But I asked what did we do wrong and he said unemployment in Thailand was one of the lowest in the world, 1.2 per cent, it has gone up to four per cent because seven giant rice mills have shut down because Nigeria’s import has fallen by 95 per cent on rice alone.

    “So, Mr President we thank you for the support and we thank all the agencies and those of you in the private sector for your resilience,’’ he said.

    The minister, however, alerted the nation on what he described as alarming smuggling of fake fertilizer and rice along the western borders of the country.

    He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to take drastic measures to check the trend as all previous diplomatic measures had failed to address the menace.

    “But one last request Mr President, we have to take one strong measure against our neighbour to the West. The smuggling is really compromising our capacity on our result.

    “Too much rice, too much fake fertilizer is still coming across the borders into this country in spite of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we have with them they are not listening.

    “Maybe if the Federal Government take one tough action, they will come and renegotiate the terms because good neighbourliness means reciprocity.

    “We can’t be allowing them to survive at our own expense and I believe that we will do something about it,’’ he said.

    Ogbeh appealed to FEPSAN to adjust their blending formula using little more micro nutrients for some crops like cocoa, cashew, plantain, banana and others that would soon be revived by his ministry.

    The minister noted that the agricultural sector had created millions of jobs for Nigerians in the last two years.

    He said: “People may say what they like about jobs. Recently I heard that we lost four million jobs. Nobody has calculated the millions and millions of jobs created on the farms.

    “So, this programme as it grows can only make us stronger.

    “As soon as more dams and lakes are put in place, you begin to sell fertilizer all year round and not wait for the rainy season alone.”

    NAN

  • FG to train 100 rice farmers in Kebbi – Ogbeh

    FG to train 100 rice farmers in Kebbi – Ogbeh

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, says the Federal Government will train 100 rice farmers in Kebbi, as part of efforts to boost rice production in the country.

    The minister said this in Birnin Kebbi when he declared open the two-day Farmers Forum and Exhibition, jointly organised by the Kebbi Ministry of Agriculture and Daily Trust Newspapers.

    Ogbeh, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mr Abdullahi Shehu, said that Gov. Atiku Bagudu had elevated the status of Kebbi in commercial rice production.

    He said that the training of the 100 farmers from Kebbi in commercial rice production was in recognition of the success which the state government had recorded in rice production under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Read Also: Why Fed Govt is promoting cattle colonies, by Ogbeh

    In his remarks, Bagudu said that additional investments were required to significantly improve rice production in the country.

    He reiterated his determination to sustain and improve rice production in the state for local consumption and exports.

    The governor, who said that investments in agriculture had more benefits than investments in fuel subsidy, however, noted that the government was spending more money on fuel subsidy than on the Anchor Borrowers Programme for instance.

    The Kebbi Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Dandiga, said that the organisation of farmers’ forum and exhibition was part of the agricultural initiative of the Bagudu-administration.

    He said that the ministry decided to partner with the media in organising the programme because of the achievements which the state recorded under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

    Speaking, Dr Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, described the exhibition as a good development, saying that it had the potential of creating employment opportunities for the youth in the state and country at large.

    Baru, who was represented by Mr Abdulganiyu Sani, said that the NNPC would collaborate with relevant stakeholders who were willing to invest in agriculture in the state.

    Also speaking, Malam Manir Dan Ali, the Chief Executive Officer/Editor-in-Chief of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust Newspapers, said that the forum and agricultural exhibition presented a platform for showcasing the food production potential of Kebbi and the country in general.

    NAN

  • Herdsmen /farmers violence: NEC to visit affected states for consultations

    Herdsmen /farmers violence: NEC to visit affected states for consultations

    The National Economic Council, NEC, on the Herdsmen /Farmers violence  has constituted a Sub-Committee to visit frontline States involved  in the conflict.

    They are to hold consultations with stakeholders and interested parties on how to end the conflicts.

    At the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday,  a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said that it was resolved that the Sub-Committee which has Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State as Chairman would visit Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa States in order to understand the different dynamics of the conflict and develop long term workable solutions.

    Other members of the Sub-Committee are the Governors of Plateau, Benue, Taraba, and Adamawa States, while the committee would co-opt relevant experts and technical groups in the discharge of its assignment.

    The meeting at the Presidential Villa was attended by the Governors of Zamfara; Abdul’aziz Yari, Ebonyi; David Umahi, Kaduna; Nasir El-Rufai; Plateau, Simon Lalong, Adamawa; Bindo Umaru Jubrilla and the Deputy Governors of Oyo, and Benue States; Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo & Engr. Benson Abuonu. 

    The Minister for Agriculture & Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the Interior Minister, General Abdulrahman Dambazau were also in attendance. 

    At its meeting last month, the National Economic Council decided to constitute a Working Group that will work in accordance with the President’s commitment to ensuring that all perpetrators of violence in the clashes between the herdsmen and farmers are brought to book and bring an end to the conflicts.

  • Farmers/Herders Crisis: FG insists on cattle colony

    Farmers/Herders Crisis: FG insists on cattle colony

    The Federal Government has restated its determination to establish the controversial cattle colonies as part of measures to end the persistent crisis between farmers and pastoralists.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, while receiving the formal report of the National Livestock conference, held on 25th September 2017, at his office , at the weekend in Abuja said federal government’s proposal to set up cattle colonies and ranches remain the best option.

    In attendance at the conference held at the International Conference Centre were Commissioners for Agriculture from the 36 states and their representatives among other key stakeholders in the livestock sector.

    Ogbeh described the initiative as capable of permanently checkmating the wanton killings, hatred and attacks between the herdsmen and farmers.

    He expressed grief and serious concern on fatal dimension the issue is taking with assurance to solving the problem.

    “We have listened to what people have said and we recognize people’s rights to freedom of expression: but let me reiterate once again that the government is not seizing land of any Nigerian to give to Fulani herdsmen for them to colonize. The Programme is also not an appeasement of Fulanis at the detriment of crop farmers either. If today, we as Government and citizens don’t find a practical solution to the problem as quickly as possible, it will get worse tomorrow.

    “We didn’t envisage how much high voltage emotion and politicking this issue has generated. It is one of our characteristics as a country that we live with. We needed to educate the herdsmen, educate every one of us of the need to move away from what we were doing before that is bringing conflict for many reasons; avoiding crisis and making this industry more productive.

    “I know that the average herdsman is more concerned about the number of his herds than perhaps the milk coming out, about the speed the cattle can grow and the value of the meat, which is why he needs education. More than this, we also have the leaders, the politicians; we all need education on this,” he said.

    In a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Information, Tolu Makinde, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Gideon Mshebwalla, while presenting the report to the minister said the committee identified lack of access to land, low productivity, old practice of open grazing, lack of access to finance, inadequate water provision, inefficient landholding, poor infrastructure and support facilities including low level of extension facilities as being the major factors militating against optimal development of the sector.

    The committee further recommended resuscitation of the grazing reserves, encouragement of private people to go into setting up ranches in addition to the federal government idea to setup cattle colonies.

    The committee urged federal government to intervene in the provision of infrastructures and support services like roads, electricity, water, improved pasture and provision of extension services as well as empowering the Agricultural Research Institutes to invest on research that will be accessible to the end users.

    Ogbeh, who lauded the committee for the job well done, announced that the committee will play a major role in implementing the decision of the government.

    Other members of the committee includes Mr. John Taiwo of the Dept of Animal Husbandry Services, Alhaji Auwal Maidabino of Planning and Policy Coordination, Food and Agriculture Organisation representative, Mr. Hammed Sanni, a representative of Kogi State Government and Engr. Kola  Owolabi  of the Federal Department of Agriculture of the Ministry.

    The Minister revealed that a Sensitization Programme to educate the herders, farmers and the communities including the politicians is underway.

  • Agric minister praises provost, pledges support for college

    Agric minister praises provost, pledges support for college

    The Minister of Agriculture, and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has praised the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), Ondo State, Dr. Samson Odedina, for infrastructural development, academic growth and better staff and students welfare.

    Chief Ogbeh also commended Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his contribution towards the development of agriculture in the institution and the state.
    The minister made the commendation during a facility visit to the college.

    The visit, according to him, became necessary in order to assess the various innovative centres under the current management of the institution
    Chief Ogbe praised the innovative effort of the management in creating a conducive learning environment for students and stakeholders.

    The minister promised to support the school by providing a ‘milking machine for the dairy farm, crusher for the manufacturing of feeds for livestock, flash dryer for high quality cassava flour, and bio-fortified value chain as well as forage seeds for the resuscitation of grazing paddock, noting that the equipment will support the training of young people who have chosen agriculture as a profession.

    Responding, Dr. Odedina said the minister’s visit was an accomplishment for the college as it was the first time a serving minister will be visiting the college in 50 years.

    Odedina added that the visit also served as a direct platform to present the challenges of the college to the Federal Government.

    The minister also used the visit to flag off the National Egg Powder Production scheme (NEPRO), in the state where a cheque of N564 million naira was presented to 135 farmers.

    Officials who accompanied the minister include his Special Assistanton News Media, Mrs. Aishat Onusi, Special Assistant on Quality and Standardisation, Mrs, Akanni, and host of others.

  • FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    FMARD to empower 2m youths, women in 3 years

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD ) says it will empower about two million Nigerian youths and women in the first three years of its new initiative, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise ( LIFE ).

    The LIFE Programme Coordinator, Ms Keke Bongos-Ikwue, disclosed this on Tuesday at the commencement of registration of LIFE cooperatives at Ojokoro LCDA in Ifako/Ijaye Local Government, Lagos state.

    Bongos-Ikwue said that the LIFE was an initiative of the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, targeting unemployed or underemployed women and youths.

    “We have been planning this programme for over two years and this is our first outing.

    “The pilot phase of the outing is being replicated in 24 states plus the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) simultaneously by different groups as we speak.

    Read also: Lagos empowers 150 women

    “We want to empower women and youths along the agricultural value chain of high value commodities like ground nut, palm products, wheat, rice, cashew nuts.

    “Also included are commodities like cassava, honey, cocoa, sugarcane, tomato, sesame seed, livestock dairy and aquaculture.

    “The second phase of this programme will cover the whole country within two years.

    “Research has shown that the major cause of insurgency is poverty and idleness; it has led many of the nation’s youth to look outside the country, causing them to become vulnerable and easily manipulated, and eventually some lose their lives.”

    The coordinator said the programme intended to directly empower approximately three million rural youths and women within five years of implementation.

    She added that it would also produce about 14 million metric tons of food in the 9,975 council wards across the 774 local government areas.

    According to her, the programme starts with registration of youths and women as LIFE clusters at the council/ward level to develop LIFE cooperative database.

    The LIFE coordinator said that all geopolitical zones in Nigeria would be visited, adding that the ministry was working with the state governments and local government authorities to achieve its aims.

    Ms Bongos-Ikwue said that the ministry was partnering with state and local governments, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, international partners and other ministries and agencies on the programme.

    The Special Adviser on Media to the Minister, Dr Olukayode Oyeleye, said that the programme was a developmental intervention, targeting an often overlooked and ignored group in Nigeria.

    Oyeleye said that the programme was to deal only with family enterprises, which had potential to grow.

    “This initiative is to help those already into small agribusiness to grow, who are constrained by finance or technology.

    “The team from FMARD has been divided into 12 to cover 24 states.

    “We will register the would-be beneficiaries and on the basis of the questionnaire they fill, we will collate and analyse to determine the kind of specific intervention to be given to each intended beneficiary.

    “The support we will grant them include access to finance, affordable agricultural inputs for sustainable production, agro-processing and packaging.

    “A robust marketing system that connects rural food surplus to urban cities will also be put in place for efficient market linkage and access,’’ Oyeleye said.

    Also speaking to the LIFE group in his office, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau commended the initiative but called for caution by the team.

    “We are in the time of politics and you cannot afford to give these would-be beneficiaries money as past experience shows that they can misuse it.

    “Also the age group you are concentrating on, which is 18 years to 35 years, are still majorly students, you have to ensure that your beneficiaries have tangible, visible existing farms or enterprise.

    “You also have to monitor these farmers very well to ensure success of the programme.

    “On our part in the state, we will work with you to verify and identify your beneficiaries.

    “Once again, I want to thank you for including Lagos in the pilot stage of this intervention,’’ the commissioner said.

    NAN

  • FG gives reason for proposing cattle colonies

    FG gives reason for proposing cattle colonies

    The Federal Government has explained the reason for its planned establishment of cattle colonies, saying it is a measure to quickly curb the incessant bloody clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this when Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau visited him in Abuja.

    Mr Tolu Makinde, the Director, Information, said this on Thursday in a statement by Mrs Oluwakemi Ogunmakinwa.

    The minister noted that the policy would not transfer communal land ownership to herdsmen wherever it was established.

    Ogbeh was reacting to fears by some citizens that the policy was an attempt by the Federal Government to forcibly collect land from citizens and hand them over to herdsmen.

    He noted that there was no truth in speculations that the government was conspiring to grant supremacy over communal land to herdsmen.

    The minister commended the Plateau Government for its interests in developing agriculture.

    “Cattle colony is not using herdsmen to colonise any state. It is going to be done in partnership with state governments that will like to volunteer land for it.

    “The Federal Government will fund the project and those wishing to benefit from it will pay some fees.

    “While ranching is more of an individual venture for the herdsmen and those wishing to invest in the livestock sector, cattle colonies is a larger project where up to 40 ranchers can share same facility that will be provided by the government at a reduced rate.

    “Already, 16 states have volunteered land,’’ he said.

    Read also: 16 governors offer five hectares each for cattle colonies

    The minister said the Federal Government would soon hold a stakeholders’ forum with the herdsmen and other stakeholders on the implementation of the new policy.

    Earlier, Lalong said that he was at the ministry to understand the new policy.

    He said that the state would key into the policy to maintain peace in the state.

    “I happen to be one of the persons that keyed into the ranching policy when it was introduced.

    ‘‘We saw some lands in Plateau and we provided them for the implementation of the policy.

    “The introduction of this policy is of interest to us, that is why we are always here.

    “We also heard about the introduction of another one, that is the cattle colony and I said let me still come back again. We will also key into this policy,’’ he said.

    Recall that Ogbeh had on January 8, disclosed the Federal Government’s plan to establish cattle colonies in the country.

    NAN

  • Rep faults Ogbeh on Director’s removal 

    Rep faults Ogbeh on Director’s removal 

    The House of Representatives may intervene in the withdrawal of the appointment of Napoleon Aisueni as the Director/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Institute for oil Palm Research, Benin city, it emerged Monday.

    Aisueni, who was in acting capacity for three month was removed as substantive  Director after one month in office with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh allegedly claiming the ‘appointment was made in error’.

    A member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma (PDP, Edo), at a media interactive session Monday said the Minister need to explain to Nigeria what constitute the error in the appointment.

    Saying that the withdrawal was suspicious, the lawmaker said the House might intervene because due process was followed in the initial appointment.

    He said: “The Minister, following a memo from the office of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry directed the appointment of Directors of 13 institutes, including Dr. Aisueni, who was duly appointed on the 9th of November 2017.

    “But following a frivolous petition, the Minister came out with the opinion that the appointment of Dr. Aisueni was done in error.

    “From the establishment Act and the interpretation of public service rules on tenured appointments of serving public officers and a memo from the office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, the appointment of Dr. Aisuene and the 13 others followed due process.

    “It is disheartening that the Minister is prejudiced by his action following his affinity to one of the petitioners. I sincerely request the Minister to adhere to the rules of the land.

    “This is not about ethnicity or tribalism, it is about justice. We should not allow anything that will jeopardise what this government is trying to do about corruption.

    “The House of Representatives is about justice and under the leadership of Yakubu Dogara; it will not allow this injustice to prevail.”

     

  • Minister urges CBN to cut agric lending rate

    Minister urges CBN to cut agric lending rate

    The Minister for Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reduce lending rate to agriculture as is the practice in other parts of the world.

    He spoke at the 2017 Annual Bankers’ Committee Retreat concluded in Lagos at the weekend.

    Ogbeh disclosed that the average interest rate charged on agriculture loans worldwide is 3.5 per cent adding that Nigeria’s nine per cent  is fine, but could be lower.

    “We could have it (interest rate) lower because when we meet farmers from Brazil, China, Uruguay, and United States, the average lending rate to agriculture is 3.5 per cent. In some places like Japan, there was a time it was zero. So, we would like to see it lower. If it is lower, it will become more attractive,” Ogbeh said.

    He also said there was need to bring more young people into mechanised farming because the generation of farmers are now 60 years old on the average. “In another two to four years, they cannot do much. If young people do not come on board, with mechanisation and lower interest rate, this country will starve and we do not want that to happen,” he said.

    Also speaking CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said Nigeria’s economy needs to grow by six or seven per cent for it to have greater impact on the lives of the people.

    He spoke on the theme: Improving Financial Access, Job Creation and Inclusive Growth in Nigeria. He said growth must be achieved at six or seven per cent for people to feel the impact and  reduce poverty rate.

    Emefiele said that after five quarters of continuous contraction of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), beginning from first quarter of 2016, the economy recorded a positive growth of 1.5 per cent in third quarter of this year, signaling an exit from the recession.

    But he said the growth figure is still low and that higher growth is needed to tackle unemployment, create more jobs and other issues.

    He said creating a more financially inclusive society is seen as the viable path towards sustainable economic growth.