Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has expressed confidence that the policy of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, on agriculture would move the nation forward......CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>.....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
He said the problems facing the nation were inherited but with agriculture, “The President has taken the nation back into what we know how to do best, which is agriculture to move the country forward.”
Ododo spoke on Tuesday during the formal presentation of award nomina tion letter to him in his Abuja office, by the Independent Newspapers Limited, as the Governor of the Year 2024 in Agriculture .
The award letter was present ed to the Governor by Mr. Steve Omanufeme, the Managing Di rector/ EditorInChief of the foremost newspaper organisation.
The Governor stated that he cherished the award because he has special interest in agriculture, stressing that as a farmer, he ap preciates President Bola Tinubu’s initiative on agriculture. The Independent award is scheduled to hold on March 15, 2025 at Eko Hotel in Lagos.
Omanufeme, in his remarks, commended the Governor for an exceptional performance in just one year, especially in the area of agriculture and also for ensuring that Kogi State is experiencing rel ative peace and farmers are able to go to farm.
“This award is in recognition of your unique contributions to national food security, especially your investment in agricultural equipment, including the 100 tractors to serve an estimated 10,000 farmers in different farming communities across the state and lots more. You have distinguished yourself as a proactive leader. We hope you will continue to do more to defend the mandate given to you by your people.”
Ododo, who dedicated the award to Kogi people, home and abroad, said, “I believe that award should be given after you have served sincerely.
Going by your track records, that is when you can be qualified for it. People can say you have served us well, let’s honour you with this. “Throughout my tenure as Auditor General of Kogi State, I refused to take any award. I was just preparing for those awards when the people of our dear state through Alhaji Yahaya Bello gave me the honour to serve.
“As a farmer and a child of no body, I have special interest in ag riculture because that is what we know how to do best. I don’t know where we got it wrong hence, we’re where we are today. The econom ic crisis that we are facing today was not caused by Mr. President.
It was an inherited one but when he brought back what we know how to do best we bought into it. I know at this point that Mr. President has taken us back into what we know how to do best, which is agricul ture to move the country forward.
“Being a farmer, I see this as a low hanging fruit. I joined politics with my boss, Alhaji Ya haya Bello in 2015. In 2016, I was appointed as Auditor General for local government. I called my PA and said, “no matter what, I won’t forget where I’m coming from. He asked what we were going to do. I told him that we were going into farming.
On 17th August, I was ready to resign my appointment as Auditor General because of the profit from my farm. I was selling pepper effortlessly inside my room and they called me from Israel to buy. That was when I knew that there are some species of pepper used for making bullets and tear gas.
When Mr. President brought this initiative, we keyed into it. In Kogi State, we have fertile land for all kinds of crops. Our efforts in agriculture are yielding results in terms of food.
“As at March 21st last year, Kogi State was ranked as second with the highest food inflation in the country, but with our effort, in line with Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, by November, it was the second lowest in the country. We shouldn’t be playing politics with our people.
When Mr. President granted that press briefing he said he wouldn’t control the price, he would allow the forces of demand and supply to fix the price. What was he telling us? He was indirectly telling us to go into farming to produce more. If you produce more, the price will come down.
That is what we’re doing in Kogi State and it’s working for us. We’re very intentional about agriculture in Kogi State. If all of us can key into this programme, insecurity will drop naturally. As a farmer, I don’t eat processed food.”
Gov Ododo, who was so excit ed with the award recognition appreciated the management of Independent Newspapers espe cially for its forthright reports and excellent professional etiquette. “I want to sincerely appreciate Independent Newspapers Limit ed for taking out time. For you to take out time to bring this on ag riculture, that is where you have handcuffed me. When I tried to wriggle myself out, I couldn’t say no.
Farming helps you to exercise yourself and you take what you want to take. I want to sincerely appreciate you and your team for finding us worthy for this award, very painstakingly selected.
For you to say agriculture, I know that you know what you’re doing. I’ve accepted it and this award is for the people. It’s not for me. It is going to be dedicated to our peo ple.
This award is just telling us to do more and by the grace of God we’ll achieve more. We also want to appreciate your efforts in your style of reporting.
You have been so consistent. We want you to continue to put in your best and as a media organisation, we expect you to call our attention anytime to whatever you think we’re not doing well.”
On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Communica tions, Femi Fanwo stated that the state government has invested over N9 billion on agriculture in one year.
