Agriculture: We have to go back to Land – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will continue to encourage Nigerians to go back to land and cultivate crops

He stated during an exclusive interview with Channels Television aired on Wednesday evening.

The President who stressed the need to invest more in Agriculture disclosed that; “We found out that only 2.5% of arable lands are being cultivated, so we have to go back to land, we have made some progress with the closing of the borders with Benin and the Niger Republic and Nigerians went back to land, we stopped the importation of rice, we are now feeding ourselves, now we produce and export rice

“So we are going to turn our attention to the time remaining for us on Agriculture. We need to buy machines to clear the lands and encourage people by giving them fertilisers and seedlings for cultivation.”

Responding to questions on debts, Chinese loans, inflation rate, unemployment rate and exchange rate indicators before he took over office in 2015, the President said; “Well I am not sure how correct those calculations are but all I know is that we have to allow people to get access to the farms as I said we just have to go back to the lands

“What we have done so far as I said we have achieved some successes and people ought to measure our successes vis-a-vis the problems when we started, you have given your figures as you calculated but the important thing is this, that the farms, machinery, tractors and so on we have to build infrastructure.”

State Policing

On state policing, the President said the role of traditional rulers must not be undermined

“They know who is who, so we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities. As far a si know the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria, let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and herders.

“State Policing is not an option, find out the relationship between the local governments and the governors, the third tier of government are they getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally?”

He vowed to flush out criminals ravaging the country’s North West region, saying the government will deal with bandits as terrorists.

“So, I think the only language they understand – we have discussed it thoroughly with the law enforcement agencies; the security chiefs, the Inspector General of Police – is to go after them; the terrorists.

“We levelled them terrorists, are we are going to deal with them as such,” President Buhari said during the interview, lamenting why people who share similar culture would go against each other.

According to him, there have been successes in the fight against banditry in the region, noting that he has had a series of meetings with heads of security agencies in a bid to tackle the issues.

“And I believe if you go to those constituencies in the North West and North Central in the last four weeks there are improvements in the security,” the Nigerian leader added.

Economy

On the nation’s economy, the President said that; “The economy is a free economy, you have to allow people to make sure that their industries are patronized, you have to stop smuggling, you have to stop developed countries from dumping goods on your country because of technology they can produce faster, so have to protect your economy

“They can produce more with less resources so you  have to protect your economy that was why ECOWAS and any organization in Africa have to make sure that we encourage our own industries for employment using our own resources for security.”

Electoral Act Amendment Bill

President Buhari had declined assent to the bill, citing the inclusion of the direct primaries mode of elections.

Speaking during the interview, he said he would sign the bill if the National Assembly makes the needed adjustment.

“All I said is that there should be options. We must not insist that it has to be direct; it should be consensus and indirect.”

Asked if he would sign if the lawmakers effects the change in that direction, he affirmed, “Yes, I will!” I will sign.

“There should be options, you can’t dictate to people and say you are doing democracy. Give them other options so they can make a choice.”

Electricity

The President reiterated his commitment to providing infrastructure for Nigerians, including improving electricity.

When asked if he is happy with the nation’s capacity of electricity production, the President replied; “I am not because I identify that no country can develop without infrastructure and infrastructure means road, rail and power

“This government is working very hard on the road. Try to imagine what was happening between Lagos to Ibadan six months ago and what it is now.

“We are doing from Lagos to Kano the rail, road from here to Kaduna to Kano. So we have to get the infrastructure right and then Nigerians will mind their own business. But when the infrastructure is not there, the roads are not there, the rail is virtually killed, no power, what do we expect people to do?”

Education

He urged Nigerian youths to use their education and exposure to improve themselves and not see them as tickets to depend on the government.

“I wish when they go to school; when they work hard; when they earn their degree, they don’t do it thinking that government must give them jobs

“You get educated because an educated person is certainly better than an uneducated person even in identifying personal problems. So, education is not meant just meant to hang on to government to give you jobs and then what the colonialists indoctrinated in us to believe – have a car, have a house; start work by 8:00 am and close by 2 pm.”

 

CHANNELS/PIAK