Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh has reiterated that the future of Nigeria lies in agriculture and not oil and gas.
Ogbeh made the remark on Monday in Gombe during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Gombe State.
According to him, the demand for Nigeria’s agricultural produce by foreign countries and the efforts of the government to diversify the economy show that the future of the country lies in agriculture and not oil and gas.
He said poverty was the biggest threat to Nigeria’s survival and must be tackled through agriculture.
“The key to Nigeria’s future is not oil and gas, but agriculture. We must have to settle for agriculture which is our gift from God.
“Poverty is the biggest threat to Nigeria’s survival. Our task as government is to lead Nigeria out of poverty and we are doing that with the kind of progress we have made so far in the agricultural sector.
“The Chinese are demanding for two million tonnes of soya beans, the Indians are looking for our produce also. With these demands, we must all be involved in agriculture.
“It is the constitutional right of everyone in government to own a farm. So, I encourage everyone to help out in this regard,” he said.
He emphasised that the government had done a lot in the agricultural sector and would put in more efforts to get Nigerians out of poverty.
Mr Charles Iliya, Deputy Governor of Gombe State, commended the Federal Government for the revolution in the agricultural sector.
Iliya appealed to the Federal Government to tackle the farmers-herders clashes so that the recorded progress in the agric sector would not be eroded.
The Minister also paid a courtesy visit to Mai Kaltungo, Engr Sale Mohammed, the traditional ruler of Kaltungo, to reassure his people of government’s support to further grow the agricultural potential of the state.
Mohammed commended the efforts of the Federal Government on agriculture and environment.
He, however, appealed to the government to assist farmers in the area with locally fabricated planters and sprayers to make agriculture less tedious.
Ogbeh assured the traditional ruler that the planters and sprayers would be made available as quickly as possible.
