Ogbeh Dismisses Famine Fear

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the weekend, said the country would not experience famine next year contrary to fears in some quarters.

The minister said though it is true that some neighbouring countries are buying off grains in many parts of Nigeria, the government has started filling up its silos numbering 33 and each with 10,000 metric tons capacity.

Ogbey confirmed that merchants from foreign countries including Libya, Senegal, Algeria, Chad, Niger among others are in the country buying off grains, which is a sign that Nigeria is now on the right track in terms of food production.

"They found the grains cheap here because our currency has been devalued and because of the ECOWAS treaty we can't stop them. What we are doing is to also join in filling up our silos for rainy days," he said.

He said farmers in the country now smile to the banks with further assurance that their farm produce now have ready market at a competitive prices, this he said, would draw many into farming.

He stressed the need to make farming attractive to the younger people, who will take over from the present farmers, who, he said, are mostly aged.