.. reaffirms commitment to make Osun food basket of Nigeria.Governor Ademola Adeleke has given a nod to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led FG in its ongoing commitment to boost the Agricultural sector of the country.
Governor Adeleke who applauded the reforms currently being embarked on by the FG in the sector with a Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee set up recently, described it as one initiative well intended that couldn’t have come at a better time than now .
A Press Statement made available to newsmen today in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi revealed that Governor Adeleke made the readiness of his administration to key into the initiative while granting audience to Professor Attahiru Jega led Presidential Livestock Reforms Initiative Committee in his office.
According to Alimi, the advocacy visit which took place at the Exco Chambers, Governor’s Office, State Secretariat, afforded the Osun helmsman the opportunity to reel out many of the reforms being currently put in place in Osun State with a view to making it one of the food baskets of Nigeria in terms of food security and abundance.
Part of the Press Statement by Alimi in respect of Governor Adelekes commitment to the FG’s initiative on livestock reads ;
“My administration is irrevocably committed to any initiative by the FG that will put more foods on the tables of the people of Nigeria.
“While I welcome your team to my dear Osun, the State of the Living Spring, it will interest you to hear that my administration is not leaving any stone unturned to buy this idea.
“One of the efforts of my administration in this regard, among others, was the recent procurement of thirty one tractors given to the farmers in the state, aimed at boosting food sufficiency.
“In addition to this, seedlings and other incentives are being given to farmers at will by my administration using a well structured implementation drive being organized ceaselessly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in my state.
My dear Professor Jega and your team, at the risk of sounding immodest, I want to tell you with all sense of responsibility, that my State, Osun is enormously endowed and blessed with arable lands and forests, which if fully harnessed in the best way, will ensure food security and create more job opportunities, not only for my people here in Osun but Nigeria as a whole.
“To this end, I want to earnestly declare my interest in this FG’s initiative to boost food production and very soon, I will put in place a strong committee of egg heads in the field of Agriculture, to design a good template for Osun on the best way to reform the livestock sector.” Ended Governor Adeleke’s remarks during the visit of the Committee to his office.
Earlier, the Co-Chairman of the Presidential Livestock Initiative Reforms Committee and former Chairman, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said his team was in Osun State to sell the idea of the Committee and its overall objectives, which, if bought into, will go a long way in making Osun to benefit maximally.
Prof. Jega particularly appealed to Governor Adeleke to set up a Ministry of Livestock in Osun State or any Agency in that regard that will see to the realisation of the dream of the FG to make livestocks available in large quantity throughout Nigeria.
“To give it the needed backing, the Professor Attahiru Jega’s Presidential Livestock Initiative Reforms Committee urged Governor Adeleke to back it up with an enabling legislation through the State House of Assembly.
He also called on Governor Adeleke to engage the services of critical stakeholders in Livestocks in addition to creating good awareness on the immense importance of reforming the sector for the good and happiness of all Nigerians.
E- Signed
Oluomo Kolapo Alimi
Hon.Commisdioner,
Information and Public Enlightenment .
