President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that the decision of the federal government to focus on agriculture is paying off handsomely, and Nigerians are not regretting it.
He added that with the current economic realities, there is no foreign exchange to be wasted on the importation of food items.
The President spoke Friday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in audience former Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe.
According to a statement made available to Naija News by the special adviser to President Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, Nigerians are embracing agriculture.
He said: “We needed to go back to the land, as petroleum could no longer sustain the country, particularly with fluctuating prices. Today, we eat what we grow, and we have stopped importation of many food products. There’s no foreign exchange to even waste again.
“Agriculture has also helped us to generate employment. We have embraced technology, and some people are even leaving the offices to go back to the land. And they are not regretting it. That is the feedback we get.”
The former Prime Minister congratulated President Buhari for achievements Nigeria has attained under him, especially in agriculture, and for successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saying he was in the country on the auspices of Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, His Excellency Boshe noted that the organization was working in 16 countries in Africa, “and if we want to change anything in the continent, it must start with Nigeria.”
He stressed that Africa must emulate what is happening in other parts of the world as regards agriculture, and with Nigeria having achieved greatly, being able to stop rice importation, “we want to champion the Nigerian policy at the continental level. We should have a common African voice on food self-sufficiency. Africa can feed the globe.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Alkali has warned police operatives to stop taking unnecessary risks that end up putting them in harm’s way.
Alkali made the call on Friday in Imo State during the launching of the office of Operation Search and Flush in Imo State.
According to the Police boss, some unprofessional attitudes displayed by some cops in the discharge of their duties put them in hazard’s way.
Alkali however commiserated with the families of such operatives who might have lost loved ones in the course of discharging their duties.
The IGP while assuring the cops of the commitment of the police authorities to their welfare urged them to reciprocate by being professional and committed to their duties.
This article was originally published on Nigeria News