Twenty-four hours after President Bola Tinubu’s meeting with state governors on burning national issues, Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke on Friday unveiled his government’s food security plan as he advocated national unity to resolve the current national economic crisis.
Adeleke who attended President Tinubu’s briefing with governors on Thursday was at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Friday during which he opened up on the extensive agenda of the state government on food security and expanded food production.
Hosted by the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Osun Governor accompanied by his Commissioner for Agriculture, Tola Faseru said “these are emergency eras in the economic life of this nation.
“We therefore have a duty to look and act beyond partisan politics and ensure collective efforts towards restoration of normalcy. A federation works best when component units join hands for common good,” the Governor told the minister.
“It is in that line that I am here today. The first reason is to brief you on what the Osun state government is doing on the issue of food security and ongoing economic challenges facing the nation.
“Mr President yesterday briefed the state governors on the state of the nation. He outlined several steps state governors should take to stem the crisis of food security and inflation.
“I am happy to report that the Osun government has been very proactive. First we are setting up a State Security Trust Fund to mobilise financing for security agencies. This is going to be private sector driven.
“Secondly, I have conveyed a food security meeting for Monday to brainstorm on how to further secure our farmlands. I will be meeting representatives of hunters association and the Amotekun commanders alongside the civil defence and police services. The goal is to strengthen farm security.
“Our administration is also working on Small Farmers’ Equipment Lending service. This is to ease the access of small scale farmers to tractors and other needed machineries. We are meeting this week to finalise the plan ahead of the onset of the rainy planting season.
“To expand food production, we are also pushing to implement a City to Farm programme. This was designed to encourage young small scale farmers. This will expand production amd also engage our youth.
“This is alongside our plans for a regional farmers’ markets where offtakers can meet farmers for exchange and market relationship.
We need your technical support to implement many of the listed areas.
“On a more general level, our administration recently unveiled a Cocoa Revival plan for the state. It involves several activities which focus on moving Osun from 3rd to 1st cocoa producer in Nigeria. We seek partnership with the federal Ministry of Agriculture on this.
“Our government is also interested in the livestock development programme. We have submitted our expression of interest. Kindly help to facilitate early approval.
“The state is also interested in the Agro-processing zones project being implemented under the African Development Bank. I hosted a delegation of the AfDB in Osun two weeks ago. Your ministry’s support on this is also solicited.
“Overall , I seek an MOU with the ministry to ensure standby collaboration with our government. I will be glad if we can have a small committee to oursure the making of the MOU,” he told the Minister and top management of the federal ministry.
Responding, Kyari commended the multi-partisan approach of the Governor to state governance, pledging to work on all the areas touched by the Governor.
He restated the determination of President Bola Tinubu to address the national economic challenges, informing the delegation that the meeting with the Governor was part of a broad plan to ensure immediate resolution of the current dislocations within the economy.
While describing the state governments as key partners in national economic development, the minister expressed happiness on the proactive measures listed by the Governor and assured him of federal support and assistance.
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