The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat is standing out conspicuously under the watch of the current Mandate Secretary Abubakar Ibrahim. DANIEL TYOKUA writes on the sterlings performance of the secretary.
The graph of achievements in FCT agriculture sector has taken a new demission as Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim’s led administration mark hundred days in office, he is matching words with action.
Within these days, Ibrahim’s footprints are all over the sixty two political wards of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
On assumption of office on November 30th, 2021, Ibrahim didn’t delay his interface with the senior management staff to get the first hand information on the various departments and partners of the secretariat to hit the ground running.
He said as a Nigerian, his concern is to ensure food security in the nation’s capital, therefore nothing will distract him from putting in his best for agriculture activities to spring.
In his quest to see that the sector continue to pull well, he visited some of the facilities in the city and identified key areas that can be worked on to reboot the agric sector. He raised a committee that will review the current situation and recommend strategies to block leakages and other measures that will attract patronage thereby enhancing revenue generation to the FCT Administration.
He gave hope to farmers by reintroducing the tractor hiring Scheme that will bring in revenue for the Secretariat with emphasis on improving the quality of services in the various projects so as to attract patronage.
Ibrahim said he has seen enormous potential for revenue generation in the livestock markets, Veterinary clinics Fish markets, abattoirs and even from the services being rendered will be great opportunities to generate revenue.
In an interaction with journalists, he said: “My programmes are tied to the policy thrust of the FCT present Administration which is to implement people-oriented programmes. In furtherance of the directive given to me immediately I assumed duties, my first point of call was the abattoirs. I am looking towards a situation where we can have befitting abattoir, where practices will be in accordance to recommended safety standards, where the environment will be clean devoid of squalor.
“I have held series of meetings with abattoir operators, butchers as well as Area Council Authorities and we have all agreed to work together to address the issue of hygienic practices as well as the use of tyres to process cow meat”
“I want to see Agriculture become a viable sector in the FCT that can generate employment, employer of the growing population of the FCT.
I want to see our farmers produce crops that are good enough for export. I want to see an Agric sector in which the various value chains are vibrant with production and processing activities. I want to see a technically driven sector where modern trends are operational and where our farmers will no longer complain of post-harvest loses or even pest infestation. I will like to see a situation where not only government but the private sector are involved in Agriculture.
“It is on record that the FCT has one of the fastest growing population in Nigeria and the worry is most of those coming are more interested in white collar jobs, which are not readily available”
Within the 100 days, he has visited virtually all Agriculture projects in the 62 wards of the FCT and interacted with farmers at the grassroots to acquaint himself with challenges and how to address them.
He constituted special committees to review issues of revenue generation, MoU with NGOs towards enhancing effectiveness. Participatory leadership by taking part in physical cleaning exercise of abattoirs.
The sector has received several boost from organisations like JICA, IITA etc since his coming in, through constant engagement with stakeholders particularly butchers on the issue of the use of tyres which has reduced
The FCT Administration have had a history of fruitful relationship which is in line with its policy of promoting Public Private Sector Partnership, through the Secretariat, the Administration has been collaborating with various organizations which includes the partnership with Leventis Foundation on Agric Training programme for youth. The partnership with IITA on Agric. research, the partnership with JICA, CBN etc.
It is imperative to note that most of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Administration and the organizations were signed over 20 years ago but when he saw the need to review them in tune with the present realities, which he begun the process and the main objective is to ensure that the prgrammes actually benefit the populace and impact on the Agric Sector.
