President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop providing foreign exchange for importation of food into the country. Buhari made the disclosure on Tuesday in Daura, Katsina State, when he hosted All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to the 2019 Eid-el-Kabir lunch at his country home. READ MORE: Aliko Dangote's Daughter, Fatima And Husband Welcome Baby Girl
According to him, the directive is to achieve steady improvement in agricultural production, and attainment of full food security. In a statement, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as saying that the foreign reserve will be conserved and utilised strictly for diversification of the economy, and not to encourage more dependence on foreign food imports.
“Don’t give a cent to anybody to import food into the country,” he directed. The President noted that some states like Kebbi, Ogun, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Kano, had already taken advantage of the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture with their huge returns in rice farming, urging more states to key into the ongoing revolution to feed the nation.
“We have achieved food security, and for physical security we are not doing badly,” he said. Buhari said he was particularly delighted that young Nigerians, including graduates, have started exploring agri-business and entrepreneurship, with many posting testimonies of good returns on their investments.
He said the incoming ministers will be “taught’’ and thoroughly guided to ensure they meet the targets of the APC-led government for the people, with regular monitoring of their performances and scaling up of targets by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). The President promised to attend the Presidential Policy Retreat organised for the ministers by the OSFG, insisting on compliance with laid down targets on key sectors of the economy that would directly impact the livelihood of Nigerians.
SUN
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