From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari met behind closed-doors with the Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel at the Presidential Villa, to discuss the security situation in the region.
There has been renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region, leading to the destruction of oil facilities, resulting in the drop in crude oil production.
Udom who did not disclose details of the meeting, said security and other issues were what both of them discussed.
“We discussed some issues bordering on security and unfortunately everything discussed under security is covered”.
On if he made specific requests, he said: “Not really a request but feedback, at times feedback could be even very effective than request, because feedback is necessary for further actions and the rest of things you want to do. But I also want to use this platform as well to say that we are all running one project which is project Nigeria. If we are running project Nigeria, all hands must be on deck to move the country to the level we all expect and dream of. I think that that is the essence of the whole thing.
“And keep letting everybody know that at this point, it is a time everybody must join hands together to work for the whole country and see what we can do both from the state to the local government level to at least support the vision of making Nigeria reach where we want it to be.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari has called for cattle farmers to be educated on the preservation of dairy products, decrying the waste of agriculture products due to lack of preservations.
He made the call when he had audience with the Global Chief Executive Officer of Friesland Campina, The Netherlands, Mr Roelf Joosten, at State House, Abuja.
President Buhari lamented the situation in which cattle farmers throw away milk from their animals, because there is no means of preserving and processing the product.
“We have failed to develop our assets on a permanent basis. This, we are determined to work on,” he assured.
He urged Friesland Campina, in its collaboration with Nigeria, to educate cattle farmers that “quality matters more than quantity,” and help them organize into cooperatives for better business.
In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, promised that herdsmen would soon be organized into ranches in the country, with special grasses and water, which will give better yield, and make the animals healthier.
Joosten told the President that Friesland Campina is a cooperative owned by 19,000 farmers, and is 145 years old. It began business in Nigeria in 1973 as Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria.
The company wants to partner with the Federal Government to build a healthier populace through better nutrition, collaborate in the school feeding programme, and promote dairy development in the country. It has also been providing nutrition support for internally displaced persons in the North-East.