Tony John, Port Harcourt
President Muhammadu Buhari, commenting on the state of agriculture in the country, said that although Nigeria had once neglected the sector, the Federal Government was wiser now as it makes new investments in the industry.
Buhari made the remark at the weekend through a video presentation at the 23rd Farmers’ Day Celebration tagged: ‘Farm and fortune’ at the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC-Green River Project (GRP) Plant Propagation Centre(PPC) Obie, in Ogba/Ebema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He stressed the need for the country to make adequate investments in the agricultural sector, saying that farmers “are our authentic healers now and years ahead.”
The President commended NAOC for investing in farmers in the four states of their operations in the Niger Delta and urged farmers to make good use of opportunities in the agriculture sector.
“I commend the Nigerian Agip Oil Company for their efforts in repositioning agriculture. I urge others emulate the examples set,” the President said.
“I urge you, the farmers, to make good use of the investment made by the company. We want to make farming our bedrock.
“We neglected farming in the time past, but we are wiser now as a nation. We will also take precautions of bad harvest.
“Agriculture is a veritable tools for economic recovery. It engenders better living standard and ensures food security. Agriculture will improve food security and provide jobs. Farmers are our authentic healers now and years ahead,” the President told the audience.
The General Manager, District, Tiani Alessandro, promised that NAOC would continue to build sustainable projects and development in its host communities.
“Eni will continue to build sustainability into all its activities, focusing on the development of people and reorganising the great opportunities embedded in the Green River Project.
“As a company, we will continue to pride ourselves with the Green River Project (GRP) being one of our company’s most impactful projects as an integrated programme of agricultural entrepreneurial development, created to promote a path of autonomous development in the Niger Delta,” he noted.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Managing Director, Mansur Sadiq Sambo, following on the theme, urged oil companies to develop the communities where they operate.
Ben Halliday, who represented Sambo, said: “It gives me great pleasure to be here to celebrate with farmers. NNPC before was in the business of oil exploration only, but we don’t want that again. We want that the companies should develop the areas they are operating.”