From Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State e Governor Ayodele Fayose, yesterday urged the
Federal Government to declare emergency in agricultural sector to show its seriousness in diversification of the economy.
Fayose, who said declaring emergency on the sector becomes imperative in view of the dwindling revenues from the oil sector, urged the federal government to devote more funding into agriculture, particularly food production.
Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola, said the country could only have economic breakthrough only if serious investment was done in the agriculture sector.
Fayose, who spoke at the commencement of a four-day agricultural summit in Ado Ekiti, said the states had found it difficult to carry out diversification because they cannot discharge their responsibilities in the payment of workers’ salaries.
Ogbeh, who was represented by Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Ekiti, Dr. Ladipo Kolade, said the country experienced boom when agriculture was the backbone of the economy.
“During these years, we can boast of good investment in groundnut, cocoa and palm oil. They were resources of our foreign earnings, there was pride and economic boom until things changed for bad,” the minister said.
Babalola called for 50 percent reduction for agriculture-related courses in the Nigeria universities to encourage youths in acquiring professional skills in the business of food production.