Former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha has called on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to prioritize food production, given the prevailing circumstances of increasing hunger in the country.
He made this call on Wednesday during the official commissioning of the Multi-billion Naira DUNCAN Fertilizer Blending Company Limited in Heipang, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Senator Okorocha commended Dr. Godfrey Bawa Shitgurum, Chairman, and CEO of Plateau DUNCAN Fertilizer Company Limited, for his contribution towards addressing food security challenges, stating that this would go a long way in helping farmers achieve better yields and generate more income.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who was represented by Ishaku Bugama, conveyed that his administration aims at positioning Plateau as a food haven for Nigeria. He highlighted the administration’s commitment to this vision, hence the mantras “The Time is Now” and “The Land is Green.”
He said: “The administration came on the strength of agriculture, and we are going to actualize that. We appreciate this initiative from Dr. Godfrey Bawa, the CEO of Plateau DUNCAN Fertilizer Company Limited, because you can not go into agriculture without fertilizer.
“I have been to a lot of places, and everywhere, you hear investors complaining about insecurity in Plateau. And because of that, many of them would discard the idea of investing in the state. However, for a man to have put this kind of investment here, I tell you this is a man who believes in Plateau, and for that, I assure you the state Government would do everything within its power to ensure that this plan continues to serve the interest of farmers in Plateau and Nigeria as a whole.”
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, represented by the Director of Farm Inputs, Waziri Abba, also announced that the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated a nationwide soil and crop sampling and analysis to determine the optimal use of fertilizer inputs.
He urged fertilizer producers to manufacture genuine products that would translate to economic benefits for farmers.
