Food Security
NEC approves the release of N70b agric fund
Aug 11, 2010, 10:21
| | In its quest to achieve food security which is one of the cardinal points of the seven point agenda, the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the release of the sum of N70billion out of the N200billion approved in 2009 to help small and medium scale farmers improve agricultural productions and guarantee food security in the country.
Rivers state Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, stated this while briefing the media in company of his Adamawa state counterpart, Murtala Nyako on the outcome of the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, August, 10.
Expressing the concern of the council that the money released was not getting to the intended target, Amaechi stated that “N70billion has been disbursed, remaining N130 billion. A lot of the problems are emanating from the banks as most states that are being given their ISPO are not able to access it for one reason or the other and that is why a committee has been set up to look at what the problems are and how to find a solution to ensure that forthwith we are moving forward to achieve the objective of food security.”
According to him, the committee which is to be chaired by Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has six state governors, the ministers of finance and agriculture as members, adding that the committee has been mandated to work out the modalities for the easy disbursement of the credit to the respective beneficiaries.
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa in his briefing, disclosed that council received a presentation on the issue of the passport public officers will hold and the category of persons that could hold them, the diplomatic status and the official passport.
He explained that after the presentation council felt there was a need for further studies and therefore asked the minister for foreign affairs to go back and do proper research work and do a fresh joint presentation at the next meeting.
Nyako stated further that council also directed the state governors to sell the vision 2020 programme to all Nigerians and the international community with a view to educating them properly on the programme.
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