Sabo Nanono

Towards achieving food security in Nigeria

By Abdulrahman Yunusa

Perhaps, this current administration has come with the solid whims of making an agricultural revolution, but they failed to understand that it’s one of the most challenging plans to achieve. It’s most demanding because it’s beyond paperwork, lip service or even baseless table talk. Instead, it requires tireless effort and viable policies to realise.

Likewise, it’s really a sacrificial movement that needs to go beyond the border of border closure tactics. Modern farming techniques are required, well and learned agriculturists versatile in modern farming should be hired to do the job efficiently.

Contrary to the above, the government brought poor hands couple with the introduction of outdated personalities to do the job. It is a clear indicator that we are not ready to achieve our goals.

 I think all these failed tried politicians have been used by the father of mediocrity and ineptitude to prove how vast and expert this administration is when it comes to the game of political deceit. So can we keep channelling our traps into the wrong portion and be anticipating a rattling result? But, of course, things never work out in such a fraudulent way.

Imagine putting the wrong panel in a position and expecting it to work perfectly. Is this not a self-deceit at its truest form? If it happens to be true, then malfunction within their administrative circle would forever prevail since meritocracy has become a key factor to be sidelined by the change charlatans. As they move to change the seemingly poor narratives here, today, the incapacitated hands are making the job uglier than it was.

Therefore, as a country dancing in between the edge of capitalism, socialism and liberal economic system as a guiding economic instrument, they should promptly take off the fruitless idea of border closure and let food float into our country. Say this because for one to develop, he must underdevelop someone, and that could be made possible only when we have a shoulder to lean upon while trying to make the dream reality.

Also, technology should be the leading figure in this journey. All these outdated farming tactics and machines should be utterly dispelled and be substituted with modern ones.

On no reasonable ground, one will expect people to produce the enormous quantity of food that will suffice a big country like Nigeria and even have a surplus that could export to neighbouring countries using the 1908s farming system. Meanwhile, at the moment where they are battling with their stomach, and annoyingly the price of fertiliser and other farming equipment couple with chemicals are at a high price.

Most importantly, people need to be fed well before heading to the farming ground, where most of their energy is utilised. Failure to provide them food at an affordable price will drastically reduce the outcome of their farming during the harvesting season, yet the desired goals will never be achieved that way.

Our govt needs to work on its farming system mechanism to fill the existing gap in the realm of agriculture and food security. 

Abdulrahman Yunusa is a political and public affairs analyst. He writes from Bauchi and can be reached through abdulrahmanyunusa@gmail.com.

Nanono hands over to Dr Mahmood as new Agric and Rural Development Minister

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The erstwhile Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, on Thursday handed over to the new Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubkar in a brief ceremony at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

In his speech, Nanono thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity given to him to serve the country. He also thanked the entire staff for the cordial relationship and teamwork they have had. During his remarks, Dr. Mahmood commended President Buhari for the confidence bestowed in him. He also saluted the outgoing minister for the achievements.

The Minister reiterated his commitments towards the actualization of President Buhari’s policies for the economic development of Nigeria.

Buhari relieves agriculture and power ministers of posts

President Muhammadu Buhari has fired the Ministers of Agriculture, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, and his counterpart of Power, Mamman Saleh.

Ministers of Environment, Mohammed Mahmoud Abubakar and State, Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu were asked to temporarily take charge of ministries of Agriculture and Power, respectively.

Their substantive replacements will be announced later.

Details later.