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Nigeria: FG to Release N80 Billion Agric Fund
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This Day (Lagos)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Juliana Taiwo
Abuja
The Federal Government would by next week, release N80 billion to the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, for the development and implementation of programmes designed to shore up food sufficiency.
A reliable source close to the presidency disclosed this yesterday, adding that the money is for immediate implementation of the lined-up agricultural development programmes.
The source said the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to release the money to the Ministry of Agriculture from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He said President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was determined to ensure that the country bounces back on the track of food sufficiency.
In a chat with selected media yesterday, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Sayyadi Abba Ruma, expressed happiness that for the first time in decades, fertilizer was getting to farmers in May, instead of September, after the planting season.
"This is the first time and I am beating my chest to say that, despite all unnecessary comment in the media, we have succeeded and we have convinced everybody that for the first time in the history of fertilizer distribution, fertilizer is reaching farmers in May, not in September.
"Last year, when I was Minister of Agriculture, fertilizer started going to the states after July and up to December, we were still paying for fertilizer. But the same media were used to ask us how three companies could supply fertilizer for the whole nation?
"I am pleased to recognise the research capacity of THISDAY that went round to make an assessment to see what is happening weekly. It has never happened in the history of this country. They gave details of truck numbers and location per state, it has never happened in the history of this country," Ruma said.
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On the grievances of some state government on the distribution of fertilizer, Ruma said supply of fertilisers by government to states was based strictly on request. He said "government deploys 25 per cent subsidy, is not compulsory even for the state to participate. If you don't need subsidy, you leave it, it is on the concurrent list of the constitution and not binding. So it is not about sending to us what we don't need, it is based on request, if you don't request we don't give you."
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