Business
PHCCIMA Boss Hails Jonathan, Amaechi
The President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Engr. Vincent Furo, has described as a welcome development the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2011 polls.
According to him, the victory has served to reassure the international community while also restoring hope and faith in the unity and corporate existence of the country.
Furo made this assertion in a chat with newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport on his return from a recent trip to Abuja.
He explained that Nigerians couldn’t have wished for anything better and expressed hope that the success of the president in the primaries would prepare him to face and win the approval of Nigerian voters at the general elections. He noted that the outcome of the general elections in April would go a long way to determine how far Nigeria would fare in its developmental strides.
The PHCCIMA boss, who described Jonathan as a humane leader, observed that he has shown commitment in growing our democracy by working to perfect and strengthen the vehicles and institutions of our democratic enterprise, pointing out that he has started the process of surmounting the challenges of government by encouraging an organised private sector (OPS)-driven economy. He said the president recently interacted with members of OPS in the country and promised to continue to do everything possible to promote and provide an enabling environment for business to thrive, recalling also that he recently provided money to enable the textile and entertainment industries remain afloat as to provide more employment opportunities for the teeming populace, especially the youths.
On the 20th of January the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) held a meeting in Lagos under the aegis of D8 as part of interactions that will further foster bilateral understanding between the government and the OPS, to open new business frontiers that will help move the country to yet another level.
The D8 meeting, according to the captain of industry, was centred on business development and the role of the various multinational companies operating in the country, it also provided an avenue to access how these companies relate with the various state chambers of commerce in the respective states especially as it concerns local content.
Outlining some of the achievements of President Jonathan, Engr. Furo particularly commended his strides in the Energy sector which he said brought about effective reduction in fuel scarcity during the Yuletide. He, however, advised that to sustain the momentum there is need for the president to consolidate on his good governance, entrench a complete power stability, embark on industrialisation, intensify his collaboration with the OPS, create job opportunities, stamp out corruption and indiscipline from the system to discourage Nigerians from ostentatious living among others in the country.
On Public Private Partnership, he stated that PPP has always been there for advancement but lamented successive governments’ failure to effectively and practically reap the benefits, urging government at all levels to begin to think towards taking advantage of such collaborations.
Speaking on the Rivers State governor, he said: “we have assessed Amaechi’s administration particularly on his developmental strides and we have given him a pass mark. Against this backdrop, we have decided to support him so as to enable him conclude the good work he started; the chamber and the members of OPS intend to meet with him to offer advice on how to improve on partnership and build a stronger economy for the state”.
Business
NASS Engages Agric Minister On Food Crisis
The National Assembly through its joint committee on Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development has engaged the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari on an urgent solution to food inflation bedeviling the country.
The committee chaired by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC Kwara Central), at an interface with the Minister, interrogated him on plans being put in place to arrest high cost of food prices in the country and make it affordable and available to the poor masses.
In his response, the Minister said the Federal Government has commenced distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains to some focal points of state capitals nationwide.
“We have received directive and approval from Mr. President to distribute for immediate impact 42,000 metric tons of assorted grains free of charge to the Nigerian population.
“This was received in mid-February, as we are speaking, we have a record of the distribution being carried out, but I will want to plead with the honorable house and distinguished senators that some of the movements can’t be made public but a lot of states have started receiving their grains.
“We are distributing to state capitals in the first instance as you all are aware of the risk involved in the vandalism of foodstuff so we are working with the office of the national security adviser and other national security agencies.
“Furthermore, 58,500 metric tonnes of milled rice from mega rice millers will also be released into the market for stabilisation”, he said.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the interactive session, Senator Mustapha expressed satisfaction with the steps being taken by the federal government.
He said: “From our interactive session, we are on the other side of the parliament; we are fully in the picture of what is happening, we are convinced that the steps being taken by the federal government are in the right direction.
“All we did again is to further emphasise on the need for certain things to be done on time, I think from this collaborative approach by the grace of God, Nigerians will have a better feel of the government policy on food security”.
Business
Obj Harps On Cheap Credit, Policy Consistency For Food Production
Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has called on the government to provide cheap credit and ensure policy consistency to enable farmers increase food production in the country.
The former President made the call as food inflation and nutrition security concerns grow in Africa’s most populous country.
Obasanjo’s made the call at the 9th Agrofood & Plastprintpack conference in Lagos recently, where he said farmers in the country were yearning for consistency in policy and single-digit interest loans to drive growth in the sector and attain food security.
“Policy sustainability and predictability is what farmers want. It helps them to plan. Availability of finance is also what farmers want. They cannot survive on the double digital interest rate”, Obasanjo, who is also a farmer, said at the conference.
According to him, food and nutrition security start with availability, then affordability by ensuring that everyone who needs food can get it.
He noted that food was one of the major imperatives in life, adding that “there cannot be food without agriculture and agribusiness”.
Obasanjo further stressed the importance of agriculture in changing the fortunes of the economy, with attendant exponential gains by way of earnings, employment, food security and other spin-offs.
He noted that agriculture must be made attractive to the country’s teeming youth population, saying this would address the rising unemployment, worsening insecurity and youth migration through the Mediterranean.
“We have to make agriculture attractive to the youths. We have to think within and outside the box to make it attractive to the youths so they are willing to get their hands dirty and feet wet”, he advised.
He continued that “Part of the security issue is owing to our inability to get them engaged. The need for agro-food and agribusiness is for food security, employment, wealth creation and income generation, particularly foreign exchange”.
Speaking also, Wouter Plom, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said his country had faced challenges similar to those Nigeria confronts – feeding a growing population with limited resources.
He said as partners with a joint vision, the Netherlands and Nigeria recognise that the agricultural sector was one of the prominent drivers for economic growth.
He noted that the Netherlands has further strengthened its partnership with Nigeria to boost the agriculture sector in three main areas- economic growth, improved diets and youth employment.
The ambassador noted that all the challenges in driving growth through the sector, improving diets and tackling unemployment can be addressed when food production is efficient.
Paul Maerz, Managing Director of Fairtrade Messe, said with more investment in agro-food & plastprintpack solutions, products and technologies, brighter days were ahead for Nigeria’s agriculture.
Business
Abuja Farmers, Others Lose N12bn To Ginger Disease
The Federal Government, has confirmed the outbreak of ginger blight epidemic in four States in Nigeria, saying ginger farmers have lost over N12 billion due to the disease.
The government disclosed this at the inauguration of the National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce in Abuja, revealing that the fungal disease had inflicted significant damage on ginger farms in Kaduna, Nassarawa Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the blight had caused billions of naira in losses, impacting not only the livelihoods of farmers, but also Nigeria’s position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer.
“Our preliminary estimates suggested that affected farmers in southern Kaduna lost over N12bn.
“Furthermore, considering that over 85 per cent of Nigeria’s ginger cultivation occurs in this region, we can safely assume a substantial loss of cultivated land, potentially exceeding 70 per cent of total land”, he stated.
Abdullahi, however, stated that the Federal Government through the National Agricultural Development Fund would launch a N1.6bn recovery package for affected farmers in ginger-producing areas.
He said the ginger blight epidemic served as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness in safeguarding agricultural resources, adding that by investing in research, extension services and farmer support systems, “we can build a more sustainable future for our agricultural sector”.
On his part, the Chairman of the task force committee, Abubakar Abdullahi, said there was no doubt that the blight on ginger had negatively affected the Gross Domestic Product earnings from this subsector.
“It is of necessity and great urgency that various subcommittees are put in place to forestall these negative effects”, he stated.
Abdullahi assured the minister of the commitment of the team to salvage the situation, as he pleaded with the minister to give the committee the power to co-opt members that would add value to the task force to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.
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