FG inaugurates North East rice pyramid in Gombe
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
No fewer than 13 rice pyramids cumulating 200,000 bags of 50kg were on Thursday, inaugurated in Gombe State by President Muhammadu Buhari, at National Rice Festival and flag off of the 2020/2021 dry season cultivation.
Represented by Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, who doubles as Vice chairman, National Food Security Council said the event signalled the return of food sufficiency for the country.
Buhari added that before the end of his administration, the festival will graduate from a regional affair to a local government event.
He said, “This marks a magnificent return of the pyramid in Nigeria. This is the 3rd event that Central Bank of Nigeria and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria have hosted across the country starting from the one in Niger, Kebbi states and others are lined up. This government despite the limitation of resources has achieved a lot and more are in the pipeline. Opportunities have been unfolded more than anytime in the Nation.
While revealing the support to farmers who had suffered disasters, the president added that, “Just two weeks ago the sum of 30 billion naira was approved as support to 350,000 people who have been affected by flooding in the 2020. This support aside from input will ensure the farmers are insured in the insurance companies so that they will face less risk in the future. The message is for us to mobilise each and everyone who must participate so as to create a demanding economy where anyone capable will be supported.”
Also, Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele disclosed that the desire for Nigeria to become food sufficient has become a movement.
According to him, “We move from state to state to celebrate our success in Agricultural development before today we had been to Niger, where we launched a paddy rice pyramid, about five weeks ago we were in Kebbi and today we are here to launch 12-13 rice pyramid with a cumulative of almost 200,000 bags of 50kg of rice and that is the reason I said we are now on a movement.”
On his part, President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Muhammad Goronyo said everything been displayed is rice, adding that only those above 70 would have come to terms to the present day reality.
He said, “Everything you see here is rice because we have not been seeing it. Anybody below 70 had not witnessed this kind of pyramid; you had only read it from history. God in His way of doing things had decided to bring back this kind of lost glories by giving us a president who is visionary, focus and committed to his people and country which is president Muhammadu Buhari.”
Also speaking, Host Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, said he was excited to note that the pyramids are back.
He stressed that the state is largely peaceful despite sharing boundary with other North East states currently challenged with insurgency.
“From the efforts of Mr president; Muhammadu Buhari and the corporation as well as the support of the governor of Central Bank we are seeing a different story today the pyramids are back and we are happy to see it.
“Gombe is Willing, open and has keyed into all these initiatives and we are going to do more,” Yahaya said.
