Politician Wants Govt To Revive Agric

Worried by the poor
state of agricultural development in the country, Rivers State Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Hon. Enyi Princewill, has called on the three tiers of the government to give priority attention to agriculture.
Hon. Prncewill, who spoke to The Tide in his office yesterday, regretted that inspite of  the availability of fertile ariable land in all parts of the country, the nation had treated the sector with levity.
He particularly urged the Rivers State Government to revive the school-to-land progrmame introduced by the administration of Fidelis Oyakhilome, noting that if the farms at Egbeke/Nwuba, and Ebubu farm amongst so many other farm settlements introduced by the progamme were reintroduced, there would be abundant food for the people.
The party boss, who is an agriculturist accused the government across the nation of paying lip service to agriculture advised that school leavers should be given special training and engaged in serious agriculture business.
“If they are engaged, there would be enough food for local consumption and export as well as employment opportunity which would check the problem of youth restiveness,” he said.
Hon Princewill said there is no clear agricultural plan for the nation and called on the government to organise a summit and allow stakeholders make their contributions.
“Government should  be proactive and the time for such summit is better now that we are approaching farming season “so that we can fashion the way forward,” he remarked.
He regretted that International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with its headquarters at Ibadan and a branch in Onne has not helped the nation in terms of agricultural research that is needed to take the sector to the next level.
He decried the practice of politicising  agriculture in the country and advised that local government supervisors for agriculture, state commissioners of agriculture and minister of agriculture should be professionals so that we have round peg in round holes.
He frowned at a situation where non professionals were appointed into such offices as ways of settling political associates stressing that such practice has not helped the growth of the sector in the nation.

Chris Oluoh/Mohammed Samuel

L-R: Former Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’Azu, Bauchi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hajia Amina Katagum, Vice President Namadi Sambo and Governor Isa Yuguda, during the inauguration of fertilizer blending company in Bauchi recently.