FG committed to achieving its food security target

The federal government has put machinery in place for the realization of its food security through continuous funding of agricultural sector.

Chairman Senator Committee on agriculture and rural development, Senator Abdulahi Adamu disclosed this to newsmen when he led the committee to Jos on Saturday on oversight function.

According to Senator Adamu, “After our meeting with heads of government agencies under the agricultural sector, we are further convinced that the federal government is very committed to achieving its food security target for the country.

He said, “We are currently on oversight functions and the visit entail an inspection of 2017/2018 budget releases, its level of applications, achievements and constraints as well as physical inspection of ongoing projects.

“For this, the committee invited all the heads of agricultural research institutes located in the north to meet the committee at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom, Jos. From the presentations by the heads of the agric research institutes, funding has improve, even release of funds that used to be zero percent has also improve significantly.

“Remember that, before now, budget for government parastatals will be released only two month to the and of the year. But now, funds are released early enough to ministries, agencies and parastatals.

“The issue of personnel cost in the appropriation has improved as much as 98%, thus means salaries has become regular and no worker is been owed salaries. Overhead cost is also witnessing significant improvement, but not up the level of satisfaction yet. The release on capital expenditure is on the increase if the reports presented by the heads of the agencies is anything to go by.

“All these is a testimony of the efforts the federal government is putting into the agricultural sector because its huge potentials to bridge the gaps in unemployment as well as guarantee food security.

“The good news is that the bill to join colleges of agriculture and research institutes in agricultural sector has passed beyond second reading and by the time the bill is finally passed the issue of funding of the sector will further improve. So if you ask me I will say better days ahead for the sector.

“And I can assure you the issue of funding and it’s releases will continued to improve because government is fully determined to maximize the potentials in the agricultural sectors for the achievement of food security and employment.

Senator Adamu however said that there ares still infrastructural challenges in these institutions to be addressed. As a committee of the senate we will do our best to address the concerns of the provosts. Because we don’t want to come on oversight functions and be hearing lamentations.

“But so far so good” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, Director and Chief executive of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Dr. David Shamaki expressed gratitude to the Senate committee for providing the opportunity for the research institutes to tell their success story and their challenges.

The federal agencies in attendance during the committee sitting in Jos includes, Federal College of Animal Heath and Production Technology Vom, Federal College of Hoticulture, Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, Federal College of Land Resources Technology Kuru, Jos, Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri, Federal College of Fresh Water Fisheries Technology, Baga, Maiduguri, Borno State and the host National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Jos.