By Aminu Garko
Sokoto – Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim, a community leader in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has advised the Federal Government to ensure strict compliance with the ban on importation of rice through land borders.
Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Sokoto that importation of rice and other essential goods has had negative effective on the nation’s economy.
“We are blessed with vast land needed to produce assorted food crops for our local consumption and export if we will utilise the available human and natural resources at our disposal,’’ he said.
Ibrahim said that the Federal Government should make available modern farming inputs at affordable rates to farmers boost food production.
He said the priority given to the development of the agriculture sector would address the present economic challenges facing country.
“Our unemployed youths would be gainfully engaged thereby ending the activities of cattle rustling, militancy, kidnapping and other crimes,” he said.
He also appealed to states and local governments to introduce all year farming system to prevent youths from moving to urban centres in search of manual jobs.
(Edited by Franca Ofili and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)