FG marks the distribution of agricultural inputs to the tops of national agricultural cooperatives to enhance food security

The Federal Government, through the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has halted the distribution of agricultural inputs to members of the National Agricultural Cooperative Apexes in Abuja, a statement by Eremah Anthonia (Mrs), the Chief Information Officer for Director of Information informed.

The minister demonstrated the gesture during the Cooperative Intervention in support of the Federal Government’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security in Nigeria to boost food security and employment recently.

The minister stated that the gesture is a message of hope that the cooperative sector will be reformed, rebranded and revived, noting that the cooperative laws are outdated and not updated, and that recent dynamics have not been taken into account .

Abdullahi stressed that “poverty is increasing and it must be reduced, noting that cooperation is determined by trust and mutual interest, and not by self-interest.”

“It means being tolerant, accommodating and willing to let someone take food from the plate,” he added.

He emphasized that the trust deficit is one of the reasons why cooperatives in Nigeria have not grown compared to other countries.

He then appealed to industry leaders to adapt the narrative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, assuring that he would be the key promoter of the cooperative and also that the minister would also be the first cooperator are. . At the same time, the president will assume the role of grand commander of the cooperative, emphasizing that much needs to be done to rebuild the sector.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Temitope Fashedemi, represented by the Director of Cooperatives, Alhaji Idris Sanni, stated in his opening address that the Minister supported the intervention of the cooperative in the distribution of agricultural inputs to members of the National Governments. Agricultural cooperative Apexes to improve food security.

He noted that the initiative is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to ensure food security, poverty alleviation and economic growth.

In his remarks, the President of the Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, International Cooperative Alliance-Africa and the Vice President of the International Cooperative Alliance, Tajudeen Oriyomi Ayeola, pointed out that he assumed office as President seven years ago after working with the former Minister, Audu Ogbe and now the current Minister.

“He praised the minister and pointed out that his appointment was an example of the right peg in the right hole”

Awarding him the Cooperative Champion, he recalled that the meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry highlighted the challenges faced by cooperatives such as lack of attention, lack of trust and sharp practices.

The chairman of the cooperative stated that the cooperative is a development instrument and has a lot to do. He pointed out that his experience with a cooperative movement in Africa has made him travel extensively and over the past seven to eight years he has observed that the Kenya Movement cooperative has contributed between 40 and 43 percent to Kenya’s GDP, and emphasizes that we can do better in Nigeria.

He further said that the cooperative contribution in Nigeria is not included in the GDP, stressing that the issue of gross deficit and the sharp practices of some members is something that is overstated. “People think it is the movement that is responsible for The cooperative movement is well structured and regulated,” the cooperative chairman added.

He pointed out that those involved in sharp practices are not registered members of the cooperatives and thus the government itself has a lot to do by coming up with programs and paying more attention to the cooperative movement.

The highlight of the event was the distribution of the improved seeds and fish feed to the cooperative leaders.