Community clash You most probably read the story in the Daily Trust of three days ago – May 7. But given its import and its centrality to this column, let me re-tell it to refresh your memory. In a front lead story, Katsina emir to minister: Tell (the) president we need security, the newspaper reported that the minister of agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abulmumini Kabir Usman, on May 6.…
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20MIL BAG OF RICE SMUGGLED INTO NIGERIA IN 3 YEARS, RICE FARMERS CLAIM
James Emejo in Abuja The Chairman of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has warned that the gains so far recorded in the rice production revolution in the country, particularly the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP), could be jeopardised by the activities of smugglers if not confronted head-on frontally by government. He also raised the alarm that over one million metric tonnes of rice (about 20 million bags) had been smuggled into the country within the last three months. As…
Read MoreOYO TO ENACT LAW RESTRICTING GRAZING BEFORE APRIL 30
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Oyo State Government Saturday disclosed that its House of Assembly would pass grazing control bill into law before April 30 aimed at forestalling the age-long farmers-herdsmen conflict in the state. When finally enacted, the state government revealed that any person that violates the legislation would face a two-year imprisonment and a fine of N500, 000 depending on the section breached. The incumbent governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi gave highlight of the bill at a stakeholders’ meeting the State Police Command organised yesterday to promote peaceful deliberation…
Read MoreDESPITE CLAMPDOWN, OVER 70% OF RICE IN NIGERIAN MARKET ARE FOREIGN – INVESTIGATION
Over 70% of rice in Nigerian markets are foreign – Report Despite concrete and visible interventions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) via the Anchors Borrowers Programme (ABP) on the rice sub-sector of the Nigerian economy, over 70 per cent of rice in Nigeria markets are foreign or imported. In a three-week survey on the rice market across the six geopolitical zones in the country, Economic Confidential team observed that foreign rice such as Mama Gold, Royal Stallion, Rice Master, Caprice, Falcon Rice and Basmati are sold alongside Nigerian…
Read MoreAUDU OGBEH’S PIZZA TEARS BY TUNDE ASAJU
If you want solutions to any of Naija’s hydra-headed problems, ask not its political office holders. They are good at shedding crocodile ears but certainly short on solution bearing. These official towncriers would lament the state of things but not offer a tangible solution. A clear example is the recent outburst of Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh on Nigerians who import pizzas from their cellphones. As part of a change regime that’s almost ending its first term in office, Ogbeh’s government did not campaign on any tangible solution to the problems…
Read MoreANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAWS WILL NOT STOP FARMERS CLASHES WITH HERDSMEN – DR ALIYU
Dr. Aliyu Ramalan, a veterinary doctor, worked with the World Bank-assisted project of the old Lafia Agricultural Development Project (LADP) in the 1970s and 1980s, which led to the creation of four additional grazing reserves in the country. He was permanent secretary and commissioner of Agriculture in the old Plateau State between 1994 and 1997 and later between 1996 and 1997, in present day Nassarawa State. He spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday on the implications of anti-open grazing laws being enacted by some states in Nigeria. In a bid…
Read MoreHERDSMEN LEAVE BENUE AS NEW LAW TAKES EFFECT
As the law banning open-grazing in Benue State takes effect, herders and their family members have started leaving the state in large numbers. Sources said some of the departing people have become stranded with thousands of their animals around the bank of River Benue. The zonal leader of the Fulani socio cultural group, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in charge of North central states, Alhaji Gidado Idris Bebeji told Daily Trust yesterday that the leaders of the group from the state had lamented that the new law had caused an unprecedented…
Read MorePEOPLE WILL STONE ME IF I DON’T IMPLEMENT GRAZING LAW – ORTOM
By Peter Duru MAKURDI—Barely seven days to the commencement of the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition Law in Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom has said his people will stone him if he failed to implement the new law. Governor Ortom, who spoke at a meeting with the leadership of Maiyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, traditional rulers, local government council chairmen and other stakeholders in Benue State, insisted that the November implementation date was sacrosanct. *Ortom Ortom said: “The entirety of our people demanded for the law, and from the…
Read MoreDANGOTE EMPLOYS YOUTH GRADUATES FOR RICE FARMING IN KOGI
Dangote employs youth graduates for rice farming in Kogi Vanguard News / Nwafor Polycarp / 50 minutes ago By Victor Ahiuma-Young A multi-million Naira Youth Farming Initiative that will engage teeming unemployed Nigerian graduates in rice farming has been launched by the Dangote Rice Limited in Kogi State. Dangote This is as the company prepares to hit the market with one million metric tons of Dangote rice in 2018. The Dangote Youth Rice Farm project, mainly an out-grower scheme for youths only, was flagged off at the Lower Niger River…
Read MoreFG SETTLES 73 EX-MILITANTS WITH FISH, CROPS AND POULTRY FARMS
By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT—Federal Government has settled 73 ex-Niger Delta militants in Rivers State with fish ponds, crop farms and poultry. The amnesty beneficia-ries, who had completed training at Songhai Farms on various agricultural enterprises, were handed the needed facilities to commence farming in their chosen fields. Osinbajo Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, who is also the Coordinator of Presidential Committee on Amnesty Programme, Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (retd), while commissioning the farms at George-Ama, Okrika in Okrika Local Government Area of the state, weekend, noted…
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