FG spends N2.7trn on agriculture, infrastructure, says Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that the Federal Government expended N2.7 trillion on agriculture and provision of other critical infrastructure in the 2017 budget.

The meeting had four ministers in attendance: Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Trade, Industry and Investment (state), Hajiya Aisha Abubakar and Information.

He said that the government has been busy in rehabilitating and constructing rail lines to link all parts of the country with one another.

According to the minister, it is necessary to ensure transportation of perishable products like tomatoes, pineapples, onion among others to avoid wastage.

In his remark, agriculture minister, Chief Ogbeh said that it was unfortunate that most of the perishable items get spoiled on the way due to vehicle breakdown or other reasons, hence the need for alternative transportation.

Also speaking, the special assistant to the Central Bank Governor, Mr Olatunde Akande, said the apex bank had intervened to boost agricultural production with N107 billion from 2015 through the Federal Government Anchor Borrowers Scheme.

Akande explained that the loan by CBN to farmers was on a single digit interest.

He said that the bank intervened on 15 different farm produce, sesame, rice, soya bean, cowpea, groundnuts, cassava, and poultry among others.