Elect FACAN President blames agric underdevelopment on squandering

FACAN President, Dr. Victor Iyama receiving certificate from electoral officer

·       Agric Minister, FACAN in close talk

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

Dr. Victor Iyama said the industrialization dream of the government cannot come to pass without effective development of agriculture thereby decrying the deafness of the last administrations to the calling on judicious spending of crude oil money which has now put us into this economic mess in the country.

However, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh is already in close discussion with Dr. Iyama on the way to use about ten crops to generate wealth and create jobs for millions of jobless youths 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 administrations to develop infrastructure towards foods surplus and industrial local raw materials for the use of industry added that intensive support for about ten crops can bail Nigeria out of all her present economic challenges.

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 winds 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 be created along the value chains with food security.

Dr. Iyama said that “agriculture is not a 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”

In a related development,recently at a closed meeting the FACAN president and Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogheh  had been talking on the ways to move Nigerian agricultural sector forwards with about ten specific crops that cut across all the ecological regions of the country.

 Dr. Iyama in company of visiting International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) Dr. Jean-Marc Anga and African Export-Import Bank Director, Mr. Kofi Adamakoh, Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) also told the minster the need to take agriculture very serious to create job and wealth for the youths.

Speaking on the election he won with wide margin of eighty two votes to eight (8) to defeat his opponent, Mr. TolaFaseru, 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 has lost his seat as national secretary to Hon. Dr. Ballo Nuhu Dogondaji with a vote of 56 to 34 while other officials are re- elected 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.