Ogun Has All It Takes To Become The Nation’s Food Basket – Governor Abiodun Boasts
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
In order to make Ogun State becoming the nation’s food basket, the state government has assured that everyone interested in farming would be provided the needed encouragement to succeed in their endeavours.
The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun made this confirmation while reviewing the plans of the agriculture sector at the Treasury Board Meeting in preparation for the year 2020 budget, held at the Oba’s complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, where he assured that his administration would stop at nothing to ensure that this becomes a reality.
Prince Abiodun said: “We have all it takes to become the nation’s food basket. I am ready to do everything to pull every farmer to Ogun State. We will continue to look for people to join hands with the state government in providing the needed capacity that the agricultural sector in the state requires.”
According to a press release by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Kunle Somorin, noted that the sector comes first on the priorities’ list of Governor Abiodun’s administration, because it has potential for food security, antidote to unemployment, booster for entrepreneurship and driver for economic growth of the state.
Moreover, governor Abiodun enjoined all stakeholders to put all hands on the deck to ensure that the sector gets all the needed support, as he equally lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria for choosing the state as a model for other South-West States.
He thanked the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele for the zeal and commitment shown in the last six months to partner with the state.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said they are determined to make the state, a model for the rest of the south west because of our zeal and the commitment that we have displayed to date, so be rest assured that these sector will get all the attention that is deserving,” he said.
Furthermore, Prince Abiodun revealed that his administration was divinely positioned to be the bread basket of the nation. “If the state can take full advantage of the CBN programmes on agriculture, the state will not only feed its people, but feed the nation, as well as employ its teeming youths.
“On our part, we will continue to look for people to partner with us in providing the needed capacity that these sector requires. We will also ensure that the commitment we have pledged is fulfilled.
“This sector is our front burner sector and we are doing everything to give the sector the attention and support that it deserves. We see our state as divinely positioned to be the bread basket of this nation. We see this sector as being a sector that is also positioned to achieve that objective.
“We believe that if we are able to take advantage of the programmes that the CBN has on offer, like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme and other schemes that they have, we believe that it will allow us to take this sector to heights that has never been achieved.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Bosede Akintunde thanked the governor for his resolve to make the state a reference point in terms of agriculture. “The recently launched Anchor Borrowers Programme has fully shown how truly committed the government is to developing the sector.”
