Presidential spokesman says FG paid N65bn debt to fertiliser suppliers

The Federal Government has decried the inability of the previous administration to settle the outstanding N65 billion fertiliser debt owed to suppliers of the commodity.

This is contained in a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President in Abuja on Monday.

Shehu said it was wrong for the government to purchase fertilisers worth N65 billion since 2014 and left the bill unpaid.

He, however, said that the Federal Government had to pay off the debt so that the suppliers could begin to supply fertilisers again.

The presidential aide attributed the current food crisis in the country to some of the unpopular policies of the past administrations.

According to him, the current pain is due to the mismanagement of the past and that what Nigeria is currently experiencing was inevitable.

He said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was simply being honest with the people instead of piling up debts and concealing the truth by pretending all was rosy.

``This government believes that Nigerians deserve to know the truth. People stole unbelievable amounts of money. The kind of money some of these ex-officials hold is itself a threat to the security of the state.

``Since it is not money earned, they feel no pain deploying just anyhow to thwart genuine and well-intentioned government efforts.

``Sadly, even that which was not stolen was wasted. Government coffers were left empty, with huge debts unpaid and unrecorded (this government is working to quantify the amount owed).

``Even the current high food prices can be traced to past deceit. For example, the previous government purchased fertilisers in 2014, worth N65 billion and left the bill unpaid.

``In 2015 the suppliers could not supply fertilisers which resulted in a low harvest, shortages and high food prices.

``This government had to pay off the debt so that the suppliers could begin to supply fertilisers again.

Shehu expressed optimism that Nigeria had started witnessing another era of green revolution as Nigerians across the country were going back to the farms, from rice in Kebbi and Ebonyi to Soya and Sesame in Jigawa and Kano.

He said that at the same time, Nigerians were looking inwards to identify commercial opportunities from agri-businesses.