Nigeria:
Buhari Lauds Lagos, Kebbi On Production of Lake Rice
President
Muhammadu Buhari has commended Lagos and Kebbi governments for the successful
partnership that gave rise to the local production of LAKE Rice (Lagos-Kebbi
Rice).
The
president commended the commitment of Governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Atiku
Bagudu of Lagos and Kebbi respectively in bringing to fruition the Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2016 on substantially meeting the
country's rice requirement.
In a
statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina,
in Abuja on Friday, Mr. Buhari expressed delight at the relatively cheaper
price of LAKE Rice especially at this period of recession.
"It
gladdens my heart to get reports of our citizens rushing to purchase this
cheaper local rice to enable them and their families enjoy the Christmas and
New Year celebrations," he added.
According
to the president, what the two states have done is evidence of a new base being
laid for the Nigerian economy, founded and propelled by agriculture, away from
substantial dependence on oil and gas for national revenue.
The
president recalled that in his 2017 budget presentation before the National
Assembly, he said that "a new era is rising in which we must grow what we
eat and consume what we make."
According
to him, the LAKE Rice achievement is in furtherance of the above goal.
President
Buhari urged other state governments to replicate the laudable example of LAKE
Rice in other staple crops and dairy products.
The
president pledged the Federal Government's readiness to continue to support
such initiatives by providing the enabling environment, policies and incentives
for agriculture to thrive in order for the nation to achieve food security.
He expressed
optimistism that the country would attain rice sufficiency by 2019.
NAN
No comments:
Post a Comment