Elect FACAN President blames agric underdevelopment on squandering

The new FACAN executives

The newly re-elected President, Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association Nigeria (FACAN) Dr. Victor Iyama has indicted the past governments of not being able to utilize surplus of the crude oil during boom to develop agriculture saying the impact of the negligence was already taking tolls on the economy through food import.

Dr. Victor Iyama said the industrialization dream of the government cannot come to pass without effective development of agricultural sector decrying the deafness of the last administrations to judicious spending of crude oil money which has now put us into this economy jam in the country.

 Speaking with Food Farm News after receiving his certificate of return to office given by the Federal Government (FG) through her Industry, Trade and Investment Ministry said that the appalling state of agriculture was occasioned by the injudicious spending of oil dividends by the past administration to develop infrastructure towards foods surplus and industrial local raw materials for the use of industry.

According to Dr. Iyama“all cautions from stakeholders fell on deaf eyes. We told them to conserve oil money to develop agriculture as the only sector that can give necessary rescue to any economy, but our leaders have thrown frugality into the air and they did not listen to us. See what the economy is facing now”.

The FACAN President who promised to work with open heart said that the industrialization of the country is a function of intensive development of agriculture for the production of industrial local raw materials for the further use in the industry thereby substituting high import bill of the FG while employment would also create along the value chains with food security.

Dr. Iyama said that “agriculture is not poverty job; it is a money spinning business that can create millions of job for Nigerians and especially the youths. But our past governments have not utilized the crude oil revenue to develop this sector to the benefits of the farmers and entire nation despite various value chains that can be harnessed for revenue generation. Now there are cash crops that can be planted both in the north and south like ginger, cocoa, cassava and many others, such crops should be well supported for more revenue creation and diversification”

Speaking on the election he won with wide margin of eighty two votes to eight (8) to defeat his opponent, Mr. Tola faseru, the current president of National Cashew Association of Nigeria, Dr. Iyama said “it is an election but not a fight. Election is over; it is time to work together as a team towards effectively performing our role towards helping agricultural commodities towards ensuring food security and foreign earning through export to other countries in Africa and other continents of the world” 

Meanwhile Alhaji Akin Gbadamosi lost his seat as national secretary to Hon. Dr. Ballo Nuhu Dogondaji with a vote of 56 to 34 while other officials are reelected without any contest.

The new FACAN executive includes

1. President-Dr. Victor Iyama.

2. Deputy President- Alhaji Sherif Balogun

3. National Secretary-Hon. Dr. Ballo Nuhu Dogondaji

4. Financial Secretary-Hajiya Jumai Abubarka

5. Auditor General- Musa Labara

6. National Publicity Secretary-Henry Olatunjoye

7. Dep. Nat. General Secretary- Bayo Ajibade

 8. Nat. Treasurer- Rukayat Abdurahman.