President Muhammadu Buhari has
commended Lagos and Kebbi state governments for the successful partnership that
gave rise to the local production of LAKE Rice (Lagos-Kebbi Rice).
The president commended the
commitment of Governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Atiku Bagudu of Lagos and Kebbi States respectively in bringing to fruition the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
signed in March 2016 on substantially meeting the country’s rice requirement.
In a statement issued by his
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Friday,
Buhari expressed delight at the relatively cheaper price of LAKE Rice
especially at this period of recession.
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| President Buhari |
“It gladdens my heart to get
reports of our citizens are rushing to purchase this cheaper local rice to
enable them and their families enjoy the Christmas and New Year celebrations,’’
he added.
According to the president, what
the two states have done is evidence of a new base being laid for the Nigerian
economy, founded and propelled by agriculture, away from substantial dependence
on oil and gas for national revenue.
The president recalled that in
his 2017 budget presentation before the National Assembly, he said that “a new
era is rising in which we must grow what we eat and consume what we make.’’
He said the LAKE Rice achievement
is in furtherance of the above goal.
President Buhari urged other
state governments to replicate the laudable example of LAKE Rice in other
staple crops and dairy products.
The president pledged the Federal
Government’s readiness to continue to support such initiatives by providing the
enabling environment, policies and incentives for agriculture to thrive in
order for the nation to achieve food security.
He expressed optimistic that the
country would attain rice sufficiency by 2019. (NAN)
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