SAN, Rep harp on agric to end insecurity, starvation

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Kunle Kalejaye, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise agriculture to fight hunger, end starvation and fast-track economic prosperity.

Kalejaye made the call in a chat with journalists at the Nine Lessons and Christmas Carols held at the Florentina Event Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The senior lawyer, who expressed worry over the rate of hunger in the land, warned that the country might sink into starvation if urgent steps were not taken to reverse the trend.

Rather than pay lip service to agricultural revolution, he canvassed practical means to tackle the problems.

Describing the closure of the country’s land borders by the Federal Government as a welcome development, he added, “There is no need for us as a nation to be consuming what we cannot produce. This action will also help the development of agriculture and agribusiness and eventually improve our economy.”

He urged Nigerians to pray and be closer to God during and after Christmas celebration.

Also Olubunmi Ogunlola representing Ekiti West Constituency II in the House of Representatives has called for huge investment in agriculture to attract productive population and reduce the insecurity and cybercrime by youths.

The federal lawmaker called on the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency in the agriculture sector, to allow for more funding that will banish unemployment and poverty among youths.

Ogunlola stated that the present agricultural practice, which relies on traditional implements and natural rainfall, was not profitable and could not entice the youth into farming.

Shee spoke in Aramoko Ekiti at the weekend while empowering farmers from the 33 wards of his constituency.

“If the Federal Government is serious about creating employment through agriculture, then it must make farming attractive to the youths. The government should increase budgetary allocations to the sector and then encourage modern mechanised farming,” she said.

The farmers who came from, Ijero, Efon and Ekiti West Councils were empowered with cash and farm tools.