Executive Director,
Civil Awareness and Economic Empowerment Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mr Gambo Bala, on Thursday advised Nigerians to embrace farming, so as to boost the nation’s economy.
Bala said in an interview with newsmen in Abuja that such gesture would help to diversify the nation’s economy.
“We want to see how all Nigerians can embrace farming because this is the only way the country can diversify the economy.
“I believe that if we produce more, we can feed ourselves and also sell to the international world.
“Whatever one is doing she or he can still farm to make a living,” he said.
He said the NGO would help the government with ideas on how to process agricultural loans that would benefit people at the grassroots.
According to him, the organisation is meant to develop a “socio-economic, vibrant, enlightened, non-parasitic, humane and patriotically zealous Nigeria.”
He said that the group would partner the government to counter poverty and restiveness in the country.
According to him, it will also partner government agencies to promote positive achievement, and harness cost effective strategies in the utilisation and management of economic empowerment programmes at the grassroots.
He also advised the Federal Government to partner some relevant NGOs at the grassroots to identify individuals who might need soft loans to boost farming business.
Bala said the government should also work with religious and traditional leaders to identify the right people to be given soft loan.
He said the NGO would also sensitise local people to hold their political leader accountable, so as to ensure good governance.