Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

Flowerbud News

Flowerbud News

The Federal Government says that Nigerian Ginger farmers incurred losses amounting to N12 billion due to the disastrous disease epidemic that destroyed their crops in 2023.

Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, stated this at the Agricultural Insurance train – the – trainer workshop on Thursday in Abuja.

He highlighted the incidences of the 2023 wet farming season, where ginger farmers in Kaduna suffered immensely from the outbreak of the ginger blight disease.

Abdullahi said that the farmers lost over 90 per cent of their total harvest for the season.

” Only a few of those ginger farmers who took our insurance protection received monetary compensation for their harvest losses.

” These set of farmers could boast of returning to their farms without little or no financial assistance, unlike their uninsured counterparts who had to dip into their meagre savings to be able to continue farming.

” That is some food for thought and something that we all have to bear in mind; as we are at all times one or two bad harvest seasons away from losing our food supplies,” he said.

Abdullah said that the 2024 flood outlook released by the ministry of water resources and sanitation, has alerted 148 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 31 states as high flood-risk areas.

He said that the report in the first quarter of the year, said that 249 LGAs in 36 states and the FCT fall within moderate flood-risk areas.

” In simple terms, 397 LGAs out of the total 774 LGAs in Nigeria, representing over 51 per cent of our farming areas, are at risk of flooding.

” We are witnessing the clear and present existential threats of climate change and its impact on our local food systems,” he said.

Abdullahi said plans were on by the ministry to partner with NAIC, and PULA Advisors to incorporate Agricultural Insurance into the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro- Pocket (NAGS-AP) programme.

He said it was evident that climate change was real and it had become inevitable to integrate insurance as a key component of the NAGS programme, to ensure sustainability and food security.

The minister said that the NAGS-AP programme which commenced in the 2023 dry season with wheat cultivation had resulted in bountiful harvest.

NAN

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The Niger government has begun distribution of inputs and assets to 94,500 farmers under the 2024 FADAMA NG-CARES and Bago-CARES schemes.

The inputs were being distributed to the beneficiaries across the 25 local government areas of the state.

The acting governor of the state, Mr Yakubu Garba, stated this at the inauguration of the distribution exercise on Thursday in Minna.

He said the FADAMA NG-CARES programme was designed to support poor and vulnerable people with inputs to increase productivity and improve livelihoods.

According to him, the programme aims to mitigate impacts of the COVID-19 on agricultural livelihoods, enhance farmers resilience and facilitate quick recovery.

“The initiative will enhance government capacity to support vulnerable families and facilitate the recovery of local economic activities in the country.

“The goal is to increase food security, sustain food supply chains and improve the standard of living of small-scale farmers in the state,” he said.

Garba said that the beneficiaries would receive inputs, assets and mini primary processing equipment.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Musa Bawa enjoined farmers to ensure effective utilisation of the inputs to recover their losses.

He said that 13,600 farmers would be supported to engage in poultry and crop production, while food palliative would be distributed to 30,000 displaced persons under the Agricultural Inputs and Services (DLI 2.1).

The commissioner said that 13,400 farmers and processors would receive tractors, power tillers, rice mills, hammer mills, de-stoners, hand reapers, multi-purpose threshers, and trans-planters as well as small ruminants.

Also speaking, Shehu Mohammed, the Coordinator, FADAMA project, said the inputs and assets were provided by the Federal Government, World Bank and Niger State Government, to mitigate impact of the COVID-19.

“The targeted beneficiaries are peasant farmers, they will get three bags of NPK and Urea fertilisers and three litres of chemical for free,” he said.

He said the farmers could also access free tractor services, to improve their incomes and living conditions.

NAN

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Glovo, a pioneering multi-category app, has recorded a 166 per cent year-on-year increase in jollof rice deliveries, with a  jollof rice dish delivered every 1.5 minutes in the last 12 months.

Mrs Lamide Akinola, the General Manager, Glovo Nigeria, made this known in a report on Thursday in commemoration of the World Jollof Day celebrated on August 22.

Akinola said the surge reflected Nigeria’s growing appetite for convenient access to the nation’s beloved dish through the Glovo app.

She noted that lunchtime dominated as the prime time for enjoying jollof rice, capturing 60 per cent of total consumption.

She said that Nigerians had also shown their willingness to invest more in their favourite meal with spending on jollof rice increasing by 65 per cent compared to 2023.

“July 26, 2024 was the day with the highest volume of jollof rice orders, with an astounding 57 orders delivered per minute, or nearly one every second.

“Other notable dates include July 18, 2024, and December 20, 2023, which ranked second and third, respectively.

“March 2024 emerged as the month with the highest number of jollof rice deliveries, followed closely by December 2023 and February 2024, the month of love.

“Fridays have solidified their place as the ultimate jollof rice feast day, accounting for 15.5 per cent of weekly consumption, followed by Thursdays and Wednesdays,” she said.

Akinola noted that Nigeria continues to lead the global jollof rice race, accounting for 86 per cent of worldwide consumption.

She said that outside Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Poland, and Italy were emerging as notable consumers with the fastest-growing markets including Italy (+73 per cent), Kenya (+56 per cent), and Ivory Coast (+25 per cent).

“The growth we’ve recorded in jollof rice orders over the past 12 months underscores Glovo’s commitment to bringing Nigeria’s beloved dishes to the forefront.

“This milestone reflects our dedication to providing Nigerians with unparalleled variety and convenience, ensuring that our customers can enjoy their favorite jollof rice dishes whenever they crave them.

“Our platform’s ability to offer all the varieties Nigerians love is a testament to the strong partnerships we have built with local restaurants, ensuring we meet our customers’ expectations,” she said.

She added that the area with the highest consumption were Lagos Island with 49 per cent, Ikeja at 16 per cent, Mainland Lagos at 15 per cent.

Also, areas with the highest growth include Abuja at 72 per cent, Ajah at 56 per cent and Lagos Island at 35 per cent.

NAN

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Abia 2027: FOSAD cautions Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu to prioritize infrastructural development over partisan politics

The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) wishes to express its concern over recent political developments involving Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu.

Recently, Kalu sparked outrage in his home state of Abia following his declaration that Governor Alex Otti would be unseated in 2027 by whatever means.

In a viral video, he had declared that Otti would be the last Labour Party governor in Abia. He boasted that as Nigeria’s number six citizen, he would not sit by and allow an opposition party to control Abia.

The Deputy Speaker further stated that Abia must be taken over by his own party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While acknowledging Mr. Kalu’s prominent role in the legislative sphere, we urge him to refocus his efforts on addressing the pressing infrastructural needs of the South-East region, particularly in Abia State.

The region stands at a critical juncture where infrastructural deficits hinder economic growth and quality of life. Our communities are in dire need of improved roads, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions.

These are essential for fostering regional development and ensuring equitable progress.

Engagement in premature political maneuvers concerning the 2027 elections distracts from the urgent tasks at hand.

We call upon Mr. Kalu to channel his energy into tangible projects that will provide long-term benefits for the people of Abia State and the South-East as a whole.

FOSAD remains committed to advocating for substantial and meaningful development initiatives. We encourage all stakeholders to collaborate in prioritizing the welfare of our communities over political ambitions.

Dr Stephen Nwala
President, FOSAD

Dr Uzor Ngoladi
Secretary General, FOSAD

Flowerbud News

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) says it will not relent, until victory is achieved in the fight against crude oil theft.

The President of the association, Festus Osifo, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2024 PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS 2024).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the summit themed: “The Future of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry: Energy Mix, Energy Security, Artificial Intelligence, Divestment, and Crude Oil Theft”.

“The scourge of crude oil theft poses a significant threat to our industry, economy, and national integrity.

“As an Association, we have mounted the rostrum over time, both on the streets and in the boardroom, to champion this cause, and we will not relent until victory is certain.

“We are steadfast in our resolve to continuously partner with other stakeholders in the industry to combat this menace through enhanced security measures, technological innovations, community engagement, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies,’’ he said.

Osifo said Nigeria stood at crossroads, especially in the oil and gas sector, and the actions and decisions of the association must gear toward rescuing the country.

He said the summit would design framework for a policy trust for government towards shaping the economic outlook of the country.

“It is incumbent upon us to drive positive change, foster economic growth, and ensure our people’s prosperity.

“Recent policy directions by the government have placed untold hardship on Nigerians.

“Chief among them is the flotation cum devaluation of the Naira, which saw our currency slide from N450 officially in May 2023 to the current exchange rate of about 1600 Naira.

“This is the reason why the landing price of PMS today is over N1,000  (reintroduction of subsidy), the reason why AGO is selling for over N1,300 and the reason why all Imported commodities are over the roof today.

“The overarching impact of these on Nigerians can only be imagined rather than experienced,’’ he said.

Osifo said the floating of the Naira in the official market had exacerbated the challenges faced by their members.

He, therefore, called on industry players to explore innovative solutions to forestall financial losses to workers and prevent undue gains to companies and ensure a fair and equitable environment for all.

Osifo said PENGASSAN would do all it could to push for just and equitable distribution across its branches.

The labour leader appreciated the President Bola Tinubu for the recent signing of Executive Order that granted incentives to investments in the oil and gas industry .

He said the move translated to the recent 550 million dollar Final Investment Decision announced by NNPC Limited and TotalEnergies on Ubeta project.

Osifo said PENGASSAN equally recognised the efforts of NNPC Limited Management in furthering partnership initiatives in the upstream and downstream sector of the Industry.

“The recent MOU signed by NNPC Limited with Total Energies and separately with Shell are indications of fostering good relationships with critical partners.

“The expansion of CNG and LPG infrastructures by NNPC Limited across the nook and crannies of the country is a right step in the right direction and this must be encouraged and deepened,’’ he said

Osifo assured that the summit would forge a path toward a brighter and more sustainable energy future for the industry and the nation.

NAN

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