News
Vote 10% Annually For Agric, FG Told
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has called for the allocation of 10 per cent of the nation’s annual budget to agriculture.
Adesina made the suggestion while contributing to a discussion in Abuja yesterday at the 19th Nigeria Economic Summit on ways to sustain the nation’s agenda on agriculture.
He said that financing the growth and development of the agriculture sector should be significantly expanded for realistic growth.
“At the moment, we are not spending enough on agriculture. As we go forward, we have to restructure the modes of financing of the sector.
“We need to make at least 10 per cent of our budget to go to agriculture, if we want to sustain this particular agenda.
“The issue of getting financing from the private sector is key. Nobody is going to do agriculture and borrow money at 25 per cent interest rate and also make profit.
“So we need to find new institutions, new arrangements and new platforms that will allow us to get affordable financing as well as long-term financing.
“So we really cannot get far until we tackle this particular issue.’’
Adesina also said that adequate funding of research and development institutes that were geared toward innovative agriculture discoveries was important.
“I think it is very crucial for us to invest heavily in research and development because no nation in the world has been able to achieve this without spending money on innovative technologies.
“Talk about China, Brazil, Pakistan and India, all of them invested in innovative technologies.
“Right now we are spending less than one per cent on research and development and it is not enough. To be the global power we want to be, we must spend more on research.’’
He said that another factor stunting the growth of agriculture in the country was the issue of agricultural extension, diverse means of transportation of farm produce, among others.
The minister said that the way forward was for young and fresh minds to come into the business of agriculture.
Adesina said that this was the reason why the recently launched Nurturing the Successor Generation of Nigerian Farmers and Agriculture Enterprises by President Jonathan, was a welcome development.
The Chairman of Heir Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu, said that there should be continuity in the transformation of the agriculture agenda, to achieve sustainability in the sector.
He said that the ultimate goal of the agriculture agenda would be achieved when policy reforms and incentives were put in place.
“We also need to think of how to make agriculture more lucrative. It employs a lot of people but in actual wealth, it doesn’t make a lot of them rich.
“So if we succeed in making it lucrative and people begin to make money, naturally others would want to join in,’’ he said.
The Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs Sola Borha, said that for affordable lending for agriculture purposes, the sector needed to be attractive, to enable banks feel safe to advance loans.
“ NIRSAL funds provided by the Central Bank is a step in the right direction since it is aimed at sharing risk, this will result to bankers feeling more comfortable in advancing agricultural loans.
“ This would help to bring the lending rates to the agricultural sector down.
“A commodity exchange, plus warehousing system, is absolutely key in providing the appropriate structure to agric business,’’ she said.
The Minister of the National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, said that an alternate funding of the agriculture system apart from the traditional funding by banks was necessary.
“ At the federal level more economic policies like the NIRSAL funds should be fashioned to cushion risks in agriculture funding.
“Diversifying the transport sector is also important, which is why a step in that direction is already being taken, through resurrecting the train routes of Kano to Lagos and Port Harcourt to Borno,’’ he said.
The Managing Director, PZ Industries Plc, Mr Christos Giannopolus, also harped on the importance of having the right transportation system in place to aid movement of goods and services.
“ However, time is costly, if it takes over a month to move goods from Port Harcourt to the north, that becomes a challenge.’’
Giannopolus also urged the government to create more road corridors in the country.
He noted that the cost of using a particular means of transport half way through a journey and having to change to another was not cost effective and that it affected prices in the long run.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
