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By Daniel Adaji
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has clarified that the recent prayer session invitation extended to all staff was not a policy directive linked to food security but an internal response to rising anxiety over the sudden deaths of top personnel.
Recall that in a circular dated June 11, 2025, and signed by the Director of Human Resource Management, Mrs Adedayo Modupe, staff were invited to a series of fasting and prayer sessions themed “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development”.
The sessions were scheduled to be held on the 16th, 23rd, and 30th of June at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, with a directive for staff to come fasting.
Another memo sighted by Pointblanknews.com indicated that the prayer sessions have been postponed until further notice.
The ministry, however, issued a press statement on Saturday to explain the rationale behind the call.
“The prayer session is an initiative of the Human Resource Department to address the wellbeing of the staff, just as the already existing monthly aerobic exercise and establishment of the gymnasium in the ministry are for physical fitness,” the statement read.
“The prayer was to address the apprehensiveness of staff over the recent untimely and successive death of management staff of the ministry. The staff also deem it not out of place to pray for the country,” it added.
The ministry stressed that the prayer session should not be mistaken for an official government strategy on agriculture.
“This is NOT an official policy by the ministry to address agriculture and food security issues in the country, but in response to the yearnings of staff who are apprehensive following the death of some of their colleagues in recent times,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring food and nutrition security.
It noted that over a thousand tractors had been delivered to support farmers, and the commercialisation phase of the mechanisation programme had been signed under the supervision of the president.
In addition, the ministry referenced its ongoing Strategic Grain Reserve and Market Stabilisation efforts, which saw the distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains and 58,200 metric tonnes of milled rice grains. It also highlighted the donation of 2.15 million bags of fertiliser by the Central Bank of Nigeria to reduce food inflation.
Other key initiatives include the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture to the tune of N1.5tn to improve farmers’ access to affordable financing, the launch of the National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) to modernise extension services, and a revitalisation of the cooperative sector through stakeholder training across the country’s cooperative colleges.
The ministry also disclosed a $600m partnership with the World Bank to rehabilitate 200,000 kilometres of rural roads under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).
To support farmers during the planting season, it procured and distributed free essential agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, agro-chemicals, and seeds. Furthermore, under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), farmers nationwide were registered and provided with subsidised inputs.
To strengthen data management and ensure transparency, the ministry is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for farmer identity verification and improved access to services.
The statement signed by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Assistant Information Officer for the Director of Information, noted that the prayer session was strictly an internal initiative and “not intended to replace or downplay the effort and achievement of the Ministry and other stakeholders in achieving food security in the nation.”