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Manufacturers Spend N76.7bn On Power Generation 

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Inadequate electricity supply remains a huge challenge to manufacturers, accounting for their huge investment in self-energy generation, which stood at N76.7 billion in the second half of last year.
Manufacturers’ cost of self-energy generation increased from N45.04 billion in the corresponding half of 2021, indicating N31.66 billion or 70 per cent increase over the period.
According to Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) ‘Bi-annual Economic Review’ for the second half of 2022, it also increased by N8.9 billion or 13 per cent when compared with N67.8 billion recorded in the preceding half.
This document, which was made available to The Tide source, presented the summary of the survey of the manufacturing sector by MAN for the second half of last year.
The survey was designed to monitor changes in manufacturing sector performance indicators viz-a-viz the behaviours of macro-economic and policy environments during the period of the survey.
The focus manufacturing indicators include capacity utilisation, production value, inventory of unsold products, level of utilisation of local raw materials, investment, expenditure on alternative energy source, etc.
MAN, in the survey, said electricity supply to the industries from the national grid declined marginally to 11 hours per day from 12 hours recorded in the preceding half.
It, however, said average number of outages per day stabilised at four times in the second half of last year as it was recorded for the first half of the year.
“Irrefutably, the trends show that power supply to the industry is still a huge challenge which accounts for huge investment of manufacturers in self-energy generation.

“Consequently, expenditure on alternative energy source increased to N76.7 billion in the second half of 2022 from N45.04 billion recorded in the corresponding half of 2021; thus, indicating N31.66 billion or 70 per cent increase over the period”, the document said.

MAN, however, put forward a number of recommendations to improve power supply to the sector. Its Director General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, for instance, called for the development and implementation of a roadmap focusing on off-grid solutions and independent power projects by the private sector.

While noting that this will ensure adequate supply of energy for production and also attract and expand investment, Ajayi-Kadir also harped on the need to carry out further investment in the electricity value chain and commit to adding 10000Mw to the current electricity distributed in the country.

He also said there was the need to embrace and support significant development of energy mix and renewable since Nigeria has huge potential for solar and wind. “Promote energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment in industries and homes,” he emphasized.

The MAN DG also stressed the need to “Review the current status of the four national refineries to determine their current state and commission their resuscitation to produce fuels locally and review the gas price for domestic consumption to be in tandem with the export price which is about $3.25 per cubic meter.”

He also wants quick incentivization of more investment in gas aggregation to end gas flaring; optimization of crude oil production based on the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota and gas production to ramp up revenue now that hydrocarbon is still saleable.

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Agriculture

FG, Ogun Distribute Inputs To 2,400 Farmers

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Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the  Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.

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Agriculture

Niger Allocates 10,000 Hectares For Smallholder Farmers

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The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment  of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.

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Agriculture

GO-CARES: Gombe Empowers 573,429 Farmers, Entrepreneurs

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The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.

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