The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday approved N5.6bn for soil erosion control accelerated intervention projects for six states in different geopolitical zones in the country.
This disclosure was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, who was joined at a press conference by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh; and the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
The presidential spokesman listed the states that would benefit from the fund as Kano, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun, Enugu and Bayelsa.
On his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh regretted the activities of rice smugglers which he said had been leading to a loss of $5bn annually for the country.
The minister identified the delay by rice millers to set up mills as one of the reasons smuggling is thriving.
“That was why the President had to say during the 2018 budget presentation at the National Assembly that we will come down hard on smugglers because they are doing us a lot of damage.
“In fact, the World Bank says that they are costing us $5bn worth of loss per annum. We keep fighting, a little here and a little there. We will get there,” Ogbeh said.
He said council also approved the development of foundation seeds for maize at the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He said the research would cost N165m.
