Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration’s target to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and consumption was already radically cutting down on imports of agricultural products that had depleted the country’s foreign reserve in the past.
According to him, the era of high import bills on food was fast becoming a thing of the past with growing investments in the agricultural sector, favourable weather and collective will of Nigerians to start feeding themselves, and exporting products.
The President stated this when he received Letter of Credence from the High Commissioner of Republic of Singapore to Nigeria, Lim Sim Seng, at the State House, in Abuja.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari said, “I am very pleased with the relationship we have with Singapore and we are benefiting a lot from your experiences and investment.
“Recently, I was in Kaduna to commission one of your investments in agriculture. We are happy that you are also looking at the agricultural sector because that is integral to our economic blueprint for diversifying the economy,” he said.
The President said bilateral relations with Singapore will be further strengthened so that both countries can enjoy the benefits of competitive advantage, especially in exchange of ideas and technology that will enhance growth and improvement in the livelihood of citizens.
President Buhari, who also received Letters of Credence from the High Commissioner of Republic of The Philippines, Mrs. Shirley Ho-Vicaria and High Commissioner of the Republic of Uganda, Nelson Ocheger, assured the countries of Nigeria’s cooperation on economic, security and diplomatic issues.
In his response, the High Commissioner of Singapore, said his country could go into partnership with Nigeria in exchange of technical skills, training of entrepreneurs and public servants.
Describing Nigeria as the “big brother of Africa”, Seng said an investment in the country will naturally result in growth for the entire continent.