Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on
Saturday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to take seriously the diversification efforts of his government
from oil to agriculture with a view of bailing the country out of its
current economic downturn.
Apart from the government, Obasanjo also
charged all Nigerians to embrace agribusiness, saying as a former
President he was proud to be seen and identified as a farmer because of
the gains accruable from such venture.
The former President made the Remarks
while delivering the maiden Eminent Persons Business Lecture, titled:
“Agribusiness: TIME TO ACT IS NOW” organized by the University of Ibadan
School of Business in partnership with the International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
He said the fall in prices of oil at the
world market which may be a blessing in disguise has contributed to
economic hardship, collapse in businesses. He added that to overcome
these challenges, all hands must be on deck to practically embrace
agriculture and not just on papers.
While highlighting the importance of
agriculture in the areas of economic growth, development and wealth
creation, the former President maintained that agribusiness has
potentials to stimulate industrialization; generate employment and
engender economic growth.
Speaking on how to practically make
agriculture a major source of revenue in view of the need to diversify
the economy, Obasanjo said if truly the present government is determined
to diversify the economy through agriculture, he maintained that
attention must be given to the sector at the high level of government
and incorporate all departments, ministries and agencies of government
in the agricultural sector and not just the ministry of agriculture
alone in order to make Nigeria a truly economically viable nation.
(c)Thisday
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