By CHARLES IWUOHA
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday unveiled fifteen Rice pyramids each containing one million bags under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Scheme in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
President Buhari during the unveiling said the programme was significant as it underscored that the Nation under his watch can meet the food needs of citizens.
He described the CBN Anchor Borrowers programme as an effective scheme in achieving economic diversification in the Country.
President Buhari said with the activities of the CBN Anchor Borrowers programme, the Nation’s rice production capacity has been beefed up to over seven point five metric tonnes annually.
“Fellow Nigerians, our gathering here today is no doubt a testament that the Anchor Borrowers programme is working and working effectively at ensuring food sufficiency in the country.”
While commending the Central Bank of Nigeria for the partnership in ensuring food sufficiency in the country, President Buhari pledged to continue to assist smallholder farmers in the rural areas to ensure food sufficiency.
In his speech at the event, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his unwavering commitment to food sufficiency across the Country.
While applauding the President for his staunch dedication to fight against insecurity, Governor Umahi thanked President Buhari for his Agricultural interventions which have restored the Nation’s dignity as a food hub of the world.
“Your Excellency, Mr. President, a man with a good heart has scored excellently in all sectors of our nation-building but we have not sufficiently showcased your successes, the showcasing of this rice pyramid is quite commendable and assurance to people of Nigeria that despite the security challenges which we of course inherited and which I am confident that before you exit by God’s special grace in 2023 would be a thing of the past and your commitment shows that.
“You Mr. President has been feeding people of this country and are capable of feeding people of this country despite the insecurity in food production all over the world.
“Your Excellency, you are the man that I have always said, saw tomorrow, when you came in 2015, you were confronted with a lot of decays, very weak institutions, very high level of corruption, we could as a Nation barely feed ourselves when you inherited the office but it takes a man that came from God to confront those challenges and I want to commend you very high because if you didn’t do what you did starting from 2015, it would have been a very difficult situation for our people because hunger breeds anger but you have averted that through your programmes and I commend the CBN Governor who saw your programmes and took it very seriously and that is why we are where we are, great success especially in the area of Agriculture.”
Governor Umahi particularly appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his Agricultural interventions in Ebonyi State, saying they have assisted the State in maintaining a leading position in food production in Nigeria.
“Your Excellency, Ebonyi State under you and through you has expanded our Agricultural programmes and Agricultural programmes account for over 50% of our employment rating and the statistics are there. Under you, Your Excellency, we have established two new Fertilizer Plants to join your fertilizer programmes, under you, your Excellency and through you, we are establishing the largest limestone granules in Ebonyi State, you have released all the money and the project is highly at an advanced stage and when you come to Ebonyi State, you will be very happy with that programme.
“Let me, therefore, commend you Sir for your efforts at our Nation-building and I believe very strongly that the challenges that are confronting us as a Nation, the reason why you came is that God foresaw those challenges and brought you and I will say to you congratulations because without a man with a good heart we wouldn’t have been able to be where we are and a Nation that doesn’t understand where they are coming from in May 29th, 2015 may not be able to appreciate where we are now but God sees your efforts and God helps you in your daily commitment to our Nation-building, thank you, Your Excellency.”
Governor Umahi expressed hope that the food programme would help further cement the peace and oneness across the various regions of the Country.
“The food programme is also a Programme for the oneness of this Country, a Programme for the unity and cohesion of this country, the movement of food across the various Local Government Areas entails movement of our people from one region to another, so it creates greater harmony and greater peace and understanding and through this movement, marriages are made, friendships are made and so forth.”
Governor Umahi received an award for his contribution to the success of the Anchor Borrowers Programme by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria. The award was presented to Governor Umahi by President Buhari.
