Minister for Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh has declared that Nigerians are
currently angry and hungry and needing an immediate solutions to the
economic hardship in Nigeria.
Addressing a meeting to discuss reports of locust and quelea-birds in
Niger Republic and how to prevent its invasion into Nigeria, Ogbeh Nigeria
cannot afford to have crops destroyed by pest.
He said: “We have called you for two major reasons first we have received
infromation that locusts and quelea-birds are messing up in Niger Republic
from where they normally attack us in Nigeria.
“As you know through the efforts some of you are making grain production
is increasing steadily especially in the northern part. But you also know
how dangerous quelea birds can be and locusts.
“If they arrive within minutes they can wipe out what our farmers have put
in the field. Now the price of food is very high today and Nigerians are
very troubled. People are very angry and they speak on the television and
over the radio, write in newspapers, they are hungry and want that
situation resolved.
“Now I believe the efforts you are making we are getting to the promised
land.”
The Minister said there maybe problem if urgent steps were not taking to
stop the invasion locusts, quelea-birds, army-worms and avian influenza.
“The reason for this meeting is how to urgently attack the locusts and not
even in Nigeria but from Niger Republic. And you have to be out the look
out.
“We have the Niger-Nigeria Commission and we have been in contact with
people in Niger Republic to see what we can do immediately to make sure
that the pest don’t arrive here. Now I am told that Niger Republic has
aircraft and we used to have some but now we use some private sector
service providers, we have chemicals so that we can attack these pests.
“We will get to work and to deploy resources for this fight against the
pests before they arrive our shores. Mr President has also written that we
move quickly to arrest the menace of locusts, quelea-birds, grasshoppers,
and to liaise with the governors in view of the extent of operational and
financial support required. So we want to that”, he stated.
However, according to the commissioners quelea-birds, army-worms and
grasshoppers have invaded Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Cross River, Yobe,
Kano, Borno, Benue,Kebbi, Enugu States, and others.
They said efforts have been made to arrest the situation and have also
reported to the Federal Ministry of Agric.
The commissioners came up with various measures on how to launch the
attack on the pests and protect farmlands, which the Minister promised
soon to deploy resources to stop the menace.
Commissioners from Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa, Zamfara, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna,
Kogi, Kebbi, Plateau, Bauchi, Sokoto, Enugu, Delta, Anambra, Rivers and
Bayelsa States were present at the meeting.