FG approves N5.56bn for erosion control in six states

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N5.567 billion for the 3rd Quarter Soil Erosion Control Accelerated Intervention in six states.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja.

Adesina conducted briefing alongside Minister of Agriculture, Mr Audu Ogbeh as well as the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.

He gave the names of the benefiting states as Kano, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun and Enugu state.

“The 3rd Quarter Soil Erosion Control Accelerated Intervention has been approved in different geo-political zones of the country.

“This will be in Kano state, Sokoto (Sokoto South Local Government), Ondo, Osun, Enugu and Bayelsa states.

So, the total amount for Soil Erosion Control Accelerated Intervention project is N5,567,314,541, 076 only and that is for the third quarter, and you know it is done every quarter.’’

Ogbeh revealed that the Council approved N165 million for the production of improved 30,000 tonnes of foundation seeds for maize by the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Council also gave approval for the development of foundation seeds for maize to the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

One of the problems facing maize production in Nigeria is that we don’t the right quality of seeds and agronomic practices are not very high.

“So, the yields per hectare are among the lowest in the world. So that research is going on.

“The whole thing cost N165 million for 30,000 tonnes of foundation to be multiplied to 265,000 of improved seeds which is to be given to seeds’ companies to multiple,’’ he added.

Ogbeh also disclosed the council discussed the menace of food smuggling along unauthorised and illegal routes in the country, saying that five billion dollars was being lost to smugglers by the country, annually.

President Buhari, on Tuesday, had announced the inauguration of a committee headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, to check smuggling of food items across the country’s border towns.

He warned that food smugglers would be dealt with accordingly by the government.

Sirika told the correspondents that the Council also approved the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Canada.