Dogara visits: Premier Seeds MD pleaded FG payment against retrenchment

National Assembly House of Representative Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and The Managing Director, Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Prof. Oyediji Ogungbile

The Managing Director, Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Prof. Oyediji Ogungbile had during the National Assembly House of Representative Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara’ s visit to the premises at Zaria pleaded to the Federal Government to pay some of the debt  outstanding of the company so as to avert the sacking of  workers .

During his visit, the speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has called for increased production of improved quality seeds to boosting agriculture commercialization and creation of more employment saying“if the revolution in agriculture is going to be anything to go by, it must start with the production and distribution of quality seeds”

Prof.Ogungbile had wanted the speaker to wade into assisting the company to prevail on Federal Government through the FMARD to ensure payment of cumulative debt since 2014 saying that “the outstanding was very dangerous to the well being of workers and organizational operation.  We have answered the call of Government as regards provision of improved seeds for both dry and wet seasons for the successful implementation of green revolution, but however the government has not paid for seeds we supplied since 2014. We have also answered the call to supply maize for 2016 dry and 2017 wet season respectively’’

“The cumulative tons of soybeans, rice, maize and sorghum for both wet and dry season since 2014 is what we are appealing for so that the none payment may not hinder the company activities and this is a threat to employment considering over 1,000 workers this might negatively affect” said Premier Seeds MD.

Hon. Dogara pointed that agricultural sector would generate over 40 million jobs through the use of improved quality seeds by farmers saying that with the coordinated support from both the executive and legislature to companies producing and distributing these quality inputs will ensure food sufficiency and improve Nigerians standard of living.