The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Thursday, has stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the distribution of the 33,000 metric tons of granular potash fertilizer donated by the Uralchem Group of Russia.
The minister made the disclosure at a follow-up meeting of stakeholders on the fertilizer in Abuja.
“The task of ensuring that the donated potash is received and put to good use now rests on the stakeholders.
“I call on you to work together to ascertain the availability of the corresponding raw materials, the cost implication of producing the finished products, and the modalities for distribution.”
Speaking further, he noted that the fertilizer can only be utilized by smallholder farmers upon being blended with other materials to produce NPK fertilizer and that the process must be done in a transparent and accountable manner.
Senator Kyari also said that two committees have been set up to handle the upstream and downstream processes of actualizing the overall objectives of government. He said that the committees will commence their meetings and deliberations and that it is expected that they will culminate in actionable proposals that will enable the government to address the emergency situation that the country currently faces.
The minister concluded by reasserting the commitment of the administration to the welfare and prosperity of Nigerians as a whole, and the agricultural stakeholders in particular. Adding that the government will not rest on its oars until the cloud foisted by the high cost of food prices is swept off the skies over Nigeria.
