The Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, has said Nigeria borders will remain locked and the key is thrown into the lagoon.
He stated this, yesterday, at the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers affected by the recent flood in Kebbi State. He explained that the Federal Government was not ready to reopen the borders, so as to boost the country’s agricultural sector.
He said: “Nigerian farmers have been performing well by producing such food items as rice, millet, guinea corn, and Shea butter, among others. We are not ready to reopen the borders, which is why the Federal Government is ready to support the dry season farming to regain what farmers lost to the flood disaster.”
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Adamu Aliero, supported the continued closure of borders, to encourage the growth of local rice farming.
He commended federal and state governments for supporting flood victims in the state.
The Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu Abubakar, represented by the Deputy Governor, Col Ismail Yombe Dabai (rtd.), thanked the Federal Government for the kind gesture. He assured me of equal distribution of the items.
He appealed to the Federal Government to increase the quantity of the items, to enable them to go round the affected people.
The items shared included rice, millet, guinea corn, and beans, among others.