Kebbi fast-tracking FG’s rice sufficiency plan – Governor

targets 500,000 young men for agribusiness

Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State says the state government has been fast-tracking the rice sufficiency plan of the Federal Government even as it targets to further enrol 500,000 youths into agribusiness for wealth creation and increase in production.

The governor said: “We have been doing a lot in rice. Kebbi is number one rice producer in Nigeria. We have spoken to the President on effective collaboration between the state and the Federal Government to encourage farmers to boost Nigeria’s rice sufficiency target and he has given us his assurance and support.”

“The central bank has as a result announced restriction of foreign exchange for rice importers, and since then Kebbi State has been meeting with rice farmers and millers on ways of ensuring Nigeria achieves rice sufficiency in rice.”

The governor who was in Tertiary Education, Trust Fund (TETFUND) on Tuesday to solicit for support for the higher institutions in the states revealed that his focus on the agriculture in the state is a strategy to absorb so many idle youths who could be a threat to security issues, adding that social security would be enhanced once the youths are engaged.

Analysts believe that investment in the rice value chain by both Federal and state government would create wealth for the teeming youths and diversify the economy appreciably.

In his response, Elias Bogoro, the executive secretary of TETFUND said amendment of the TETFUND act has seen to it playing a leading role in interventions in the country’s higher education which has ranked Nigeria 28th among the Universities in Africa in addition to having 10 centres of excellence in the sub-region from Nigerian universities.

He added that the TETFUND interventions have assisted in. Strengthening research findings in the Universities and ensuring the economy is knowledge based, as he said the commission is opening wider the opportunities for partnerships in advancing research based economy.

Recall, the governor who was the vice chairman Senate committee on education, at the 7th Assembly, facilitated the collection of 2 percent education Tax that had appreciated TETFUND intervention in the Federal and State owned higher institutions and also improving Nigeria’s efforts in advancing  knowledge based economy.