FG’s deployed 5,000 agro-rangers to protect farm investments – Buhari

…Says 30, 000 paramilitary personnel employed

President Muhammadu Buhari has said he was delighted that “more and more Nigerians are taking advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture and agri-business sector,” adding that “5,000 agro-rangers have been deployed to protect farm investments.”

President Buhari disclosed in an address to the nation to mark this year’s Democracy Day, in Abuja on Friday, stressing that the government had also employed 30,289 personnel into paramilitary agencies.

He gave the assurance that the federal government would continue to support the agriculture sector through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme and similar schemes.

The president said further that government had begun to integrate rural communities to the formal economy by extending access to credit and inputs to rural farmers and building feeder roads.

He said, “Our efforts on growing non-oil exports have started to yield some results. For instance, in the past year, our revenue from cocoa and sesame seed increased by $79.4 million and $153 million.

“Africa presents a huge opportunity for Nigeria’s export base diversification and the federal government is developing strategy to grow intra-Africa trade through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.”

According to the president, Nigeria has risen by 25 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking from 146th to 131st “and is now rated as one of the top ten reforming countries.

“This development is due to the Visa on Arrival policy, consistent promotion of initiatives that expand facilities available to Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, robust electronic registration and payment system, seamless processing of business registration and reduction of cost of registering business by 50 per cent. We are confident that on-going efforts would result in further improvement of this rating.”

On mining, he said the government remained committed to expanding the sector.

“To this end, I have directed the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant based on government-to-government financing and a public-private sector financing.

“With foreign and domestic investments and the participation of Small Scale Miners, we are harnessing the supply value chain in gold production.

“We would also be launching a fully digitized mineral rights management platform for quick processing of mineral rights application, digitization of records and plugging revenue leakages.”

On power, President Buhari said the power sector would continue to remain “very critical to meeting the nation’s industrial development aspirations.”

“We are executing some critical projects through the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme including the: Alaoji to Onitsha, Delta Power Station to Benin and Kaduna to Kano; 330kv DC 62km line between Birnin Kebbi and Kamba; Lagos/Ogun Transmission Infrastructure Project; Abuja Transmission Ring Scheme, and Northern Corridor Transmission Project.

“Our agreement with Siemens will transmit and distribute a total of 11,000 Megawatts by 2023, to serve our electricity needs.”

He said his administration would continue implement policies and programmes toward stabilising the macro-economy, and to achieve agricultural and food security.

The president also gave the assurance that the government would ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, develop infrastructure, fight corruption and improve governance.

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