Business
Agriculture, Panacea For Economic Diversification – VC
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Professor Seth Accra-Jaja, has stated that for Nigeria to eradicate poverty and hunger, boost investment, enhance industrialisation and economic diversification, agriculture should be on the front burner of the Federal Government Developmental initiatives.
He stated this in a keynote address delivered at the 22nd NAOC-Green River Project Farmers’ Day celebration in Igbogene, Bayelsa State, recently.
According to him, government at all levels have shown serious concern on the need to develop agriculture in Nigeria, stressing that during the 24th edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit the Federal Government resolved to diversify the economy from oil to other sustainable sector, especially agriculture.
The Minister of Finance, he said, re-echoed that despite the rise in crude oil price at the international market, government was committed to diversify the economy by promoting agriculture and other allied sector of the economy.
Some of these agric initiatives, he continued, include, incentive based risk sharing system for agricultural lending, growth enhancement support scheme designed to encourage critical access in the fertilizer value chain, agricultural resilience scheme, transformational agenda and green alternative agriculture promotion policy-2016-2020.
Prof Accra-Jaja argued that in spite of the agree policy initiatives of the government, weak traditional management framework, migration of youth talents, poor output, extensive poverty, poor funding, lack of enabling environment and increasing threat to life and property pose a major challenge to the realisation of the objectives of the economic diversification policy thrust of the government.
He urged youths to embrace agric business, saying that nobody drinks oil, but everybody eats food.
Kinika Mpi
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
