PRESIDENT Buhari that his decision to close land borders for two years was for the benefit of farmers in the country.
This came as he also hailed farmers for the record production of rice and other food commodities, expressing satisfaction that the agricultural policies of his administration were working to good effect.
The President noted that his administration had taken various decisions including the closure of land borders for two years for the benefit of farmers, who were the driving force of the rural economy, expressing satisfaction that these had worked well for the nation.
Addressing the elected local council chairmen in Katsina State who paid homage to him to mark the Sallah celebration, yesterday, in Daura, President Buhari said: “I have a good understanding of the country and its people. That is why we instituted those agricultural policies. I said we must grow what we eat and eat what we grow.
“This is a country that was once dependent on foreign rice. We closed the border to foreign rice. I said why can’t we eat Nigerian rice, and with the policies put in place, Nigerians are eating home grown rice.”
President Buhari also touched on the successful implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), adding that money had been saved from unscrupulous government officials as a result of the policy.
“I found a tough man (Hamid Ali) for the job at the Customs. One day, he came to me, saying that they had intercepted 20 fuel tankers about to cross the border. I said to him, ‘sell the fuel and the tankers and put the money in TSA’. Before this time, that money would have found its way to the numerous mysterious ‘government’ accounts,” he added.
On the suggestion by the Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Ya’u Umar Gojo-Gojo, who led the council chairmen, that the agricultural policies of the administration be made into law to ensure continuity under the all incoming administrations, Buhari said such good policies would commend themselves to any government.
Gojo-Gojo commended the President for initiating several measures to transform agriculture to increase farmers’ income during the last seven years.
He told the President that before this time, Katsina people knew how to eat rice but had no inkling as to how grow and process it.
“Today Mr. President, rice is grown in all our communities. There are at least 30 small-scale rice processing mills in the state. People have embraced animal husbandry and they are making a lot of money,” he said.
The Commissioner also briefed the President about the security situation in the state, saying that the state’s amended security law had brought everyone into the mix — state government, local governments, traditional rulers and ordinary citizens with each one playing their part in helping to reduce the worrisome security threats facing the state.
President Buhari reiterated his earlier remark that the farm in Daura, handed to him by his forefather was the next thing on his mind when he exits the Presidential Villa after the expiration of his second term in office next year.
