Kebbi to generate 500,000 jobs through rice production

Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi said on Tuesday that 500,000 jobs would be created through the state’s self- sufficiency programme in rice production.

Bagudu said while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja that all rice producing states were coming together to make Nigeria self- sufficient in rice production in the next three years.

According to him, the states have drawn the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria ‎that Nigerian rice farmers can feed the country, if given adequate support.

“The President has approved the idea and CBN has put restrictions on foreign exchange to rice importers, which has led to all rice producing states coming together.”

Bagudu said that the state government had been meeting with all rice farmers and millers to key into the national programme to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice and also in wheat production.

He, however, said that the key to security was employment, adding that with the programme, every youth would be engaged and nobody would be idle, thus curbing vices.

The governor said that the current approach to agriculture was from a business point of view that would generate wealth and happiness and not just an occupation.

“That way young men and women who want to make money can see agriculture as something that they can do and love.”