Fertilizer importation ban: Buhari’s decision best for Nigeria – FEPSAN boss, Etuh

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Fertilizer importation ban: Buhari’s decision best for Nigeria – FEPSAN boss, Etuh

President Muhammadu Buhari has received accolades for his recent pronouncement on importation of food items and fertilizers.

The Federal Government has for years now placed a ban on importation of food items as a way of boosting local production.

WAPLOADED reports that Buhari had, in a renewal of that directive, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, not to release a kobo from the country’s foreign reserve for food and fertilizer importation.

As the country continues a push for self sustenance and economic revival, the President believes that local production remains key.

He also advised that the fertilizer production and supply chain should be monitored by the State governments to ensure that it got to the farmers at minimal cost.

Reacting, the President of the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) Mr. Thomas Etuh commended Buhari for taking the bold initiative.

Etuh disclosed that the President’s action had encouraged local producers, and created employment opportunities.

Etuh said President Buhari has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the development of the agricultural sector in the country, and urged Nigerians to support the efforts towards making the country self-sufficient in food production.

According to him, “FEPSAN is grateful to the President for his uncommon commitment to Agriculture in general and the fertilizer industry in particular.

“His efforts towards growing capacity in this most critical sector of the Nigerian economy has continued to yield tremendous dividends, especially since the launching of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative in December 2016.”

“Today 35 fertilizer plants are operating at full capacity across the country, employing hundreds of thousands of people directly and indirectly and supporting farmers with high quality fertilizer inputs,” he said.