Lawmaker Recommends Legislation To Protect GES Scheme

A member, House Com
mittee on Agriculture, Nasarawa State, Hon. Umar Aliero, has called for a legislation that would sustain the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.
Aliero made the call in Karu Nasarawa State while fielding questions from journalists on the sideline of the inauguration of the Livestock Policy Hub members and a workshop titled, “Reinforcing Veterinary Government in Nigeria (Vet-Govt).
He said the committee had assessed the GES scheme and found that it had made great impacts particularly, in the rural areas, adding that it was a worthy scheme that should be sustained.
“The Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES) of the Federal Government is a huge success; it has made very high impact on ordinary farmers.
“We have assessed it on the field, the farmers have appreciated its impact because it has brought major commodities, particularly fertiliser, which had been a major problem to farmers due to the activities of middle men.
“A legislation that would ensure that government sustains this scheme is very important because one of the problems in Nigeria is lack of continuity of policies, no matter how good.
“So, if there is a legislation that would make the GES scheme sustainable, I think it is for the good of the Nigerian farmers and for the country,” he said.
The Tide recalls that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, during the 2014 budget defence, had tasked lawmakers to protect the GES.
Adesina said that the legislators as the representatives of farmers, whom he described as the most powerful people in the country, were capable of protecting farmers’ interests.