FG Plans 50% Subsidy For Wheat Farmers – Minister

The Minister of Agriculture Abubakar Kyari, has disclosed that the Federal Government is giving out 50 per cent subsidy to wheat farmers in the upcoming dry season farming to ensure massive production of the grain in the country. Kyari spoke to newsmen shortly after inspecting assorted seed wheat productions in Kano on Friday. “We are fully committed towards massive wheat production in the upcoming dry seasons farming for local and foreign export actions,” he said. He explained that President Tinubu’s renewed agenda was aimed at making sure that Nigeria secured food production, starting from next Month, with wheat farming taking toll in the dry season farming. The minister, who was in Kano and Jigawa to supervise the seeds production, expressed satisfaction that the local production was the vital component of the farming. “Jigawa State has shown a lot of interest in wheat farming by providing 40,000 hectares of land for wheat farming, closing on the 70,000 hectares set aside by the Federal Government to achieve this year,” he said. The minister explained that the Federal Government was making efforts to have enough seeds that would cover the 70,000 hectares provided for wheat farming. “The breeder and foundation seeds were checked before it became satisfied to phase out wheat importation before next year’s irrigation farming. “This is because importation of the wheat is taking a lot of Nigeria’s foreign reserve. Kyari noted that the Federal Government planned to secure the nation’s food production and be self-sufficient, adding that local production was one way that importation of seeds would completely be stopped. “In the next 4-5 years with the Programmes set out, Nigeria would completely stop importations of wheat seeds and be self-sufficient with the local production that would enhance food production and security.” The minister was at the National Wheat Council Ware Houses at Sharada, AA Albasu Grains Company and Alyumna Seeds Production Company.

Alleged N600m Fund Diversion: ICPC Quizzes Top Agric Ministry Officials 

*Seizes landed properties, including bakery, herbal hospital, N250 million The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited for questioning, four senior officials in the Department of Farm Inputs Supports Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, over alleged diversion of funds meant for monitoring exercise and sensitisation programmes. The civil servants invited by the ICPC are the Director of the Department Mr. Kwaido Sani, Deputy Director Mr. Buba Ardo Ishaku, Mr. Elam Sam, and Head of Accounting Unit Mrs Morenike Damola.  The ICPC invitation was via a letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/220, addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, drawing the attention of the Head, Farm Inputs Support Services Department. The letter dated July 19, 2023 and signed by Akeem Lawal, Director, Operation, on behalf of the ICPC Chairman, was received and acknowledged on July 20, by the office of the Permanent Secretary. Titled: “Investigation Activities”, the Commission stated that it was investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Relates Offences Act 2000. “Pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, you are kindly requested to release the underlisted persons to appear before the undersigned at the ICPC headquarters on Thursday, July 20, 2023” the letter stated. Another similar letter referenced: ICPC/OPS/GBP/OBS/222, dated July 21, 2023, was written by the ICPC to the Permanent Secretary (Agric Ministry) for the attention of the Director, Finance and Account. The letter titled, “Investigation Activities” requested Permanent Secretary to release the Director, Finance and Account to appear at the ICPC. “The Commission is investigating alleged violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. “Pursuant to Section 28 of the above Act, you are kindly requested to release the Director, Finance and Account to appear before the undersigned on Wednesday 26th July, 2023 at the ICPC Headquarters Abuja, by 10:00am. “The officer is to come along with Certified True Copies of the under listed documents of ALL payments made to the following staff of Department of Farm Input Support Services Department from 1st January 2022 to date. Kwaido Mohammed S; Buba Ishaku Ardo; Damola Morenike; Elam Sam; Aminu Dayyabu Mohammed; Mohammed Ayuba George and Chimezie Bright” the letter stated. The documents requested by the ICPC were payment vouchers, minutes of authorizing the payment, authority letter to make payment, and any other relevant documents.  It was learnt that the civil servants were arrested in a sting operation in their office and ended up being remanded in the ICPC custody for five days, aside the Director that was released on health ground. A source hinted that a cummulative amount of over N600m withdrawals were made from one of the Director’s account and changed to dollars and allegedly given to the Permanent Secretary.  Asides this, it was learnt that huge sums of money were allegedly moved from the accounts of the department into private accounts of the affected civil servants.  Also, it was gathered that over N200m was found in the bank account of one of the officials that was grilled, while over N100m was found in the bank account of one of his children. A source said that over N250m cash was found in the Abuja house of one of the suspects just as investigation by the ICPC detectives revealed an inflow of over N60m in six months into the bank account of one of the suspects. The ICPC has also seized landed properties, including a bakery and one herbal hospital, it was revealed. In addition, it was said that over N200m was discovered from the account of one of the civil servants, over N100m also found in the child’s account, with over N250m cash found in his house around Lokogoma /Prince and Princess, 2 mansion properties at Karu Abuja, 2 plazas in Abuja; one around Lokogoma and the second at Karu, Abuja, one bakery, one herbal hospital. Also, a building property at Apo resettlement and another at Dawaki, an account linked to 2 companies account with huge sums of money etc were said to have been allegedly linked to the civil servants.  Speaking on grounds of anonymity, a source said, “The world is watching to see how this case will be handled by the ICPC despite overwhelming evidences against the PS, Director, Deputy Director and the other 3 staff. “It appears the investigation of the case has been stalled because the five senior staff of the department has resumed office, carry on as if nothing happened and have also continued work. “Some staff are being targeted and witch-hunted in the Department because of this issue.  “This is to draw the attention of the ICPC Chairman so that Nigerians will know what’s going on and to avoid the image of ICPC not to be tarnished because.” 

AMAC, FCT IRS on collision course over double taxation

The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies and relevant authorities to intervene in calling the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT IRS) to order with regards to the collection of revenue belonging to the council.  Speaking to newsmen Tuesday at AMAC headquarters, Maikalangu, who was represented by the Supervisory Councilor for Special Duties, Mr Emmanuel Inyang, said that AMAC has not signed any agreement with FCT IRS with regards to revenue collection. Maikalangu said that, even at a recent townhall meeting organized by FCT IRS for the six area councils in the FCT, with the aim of revenue harmonisation, the Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Dr Olusade Adesola, said he was the driver of revenue harmonisation, but left the meeting halfway and hence unable to answer questions, leading to the inability to reach any consensus. The AMAC chairman said FCT IRS was harassing AMAC and FCT residents with the aim of their paying the same taxes they had already paid to AMAC, thereby opening ways to double taxation. He said that the court had already ruled that AMAC should not pass over the role of revenue collection to a third party, hence the need for FCT IRS to explain from where it derived its powers to be collecting revenue on behalf of AMAC. Maikalangu said that FCT IRS is preparing way for anarchy and a breakdown of law and order by harassing AMAC residents for revenue, including the “Park and Pay” policy that is the duty of AMAC. The Council Chairman, therefore, urged President Tinubu and concerned authorities to, as a matter of urgency, call the FCT IRS to order before it plunges AMAC and the FCT into anarchy by harassing residents to pay taxes they had already paid to AMAC, even as far back as 2010. Maikalangu said that the council remains law abiding and hence will not take laws into its hands, but warned that the council will not sit idly and watch FCT IRS engage in illegalities such as collecting revenue meant for AMAC. Maikalangu advised residents not to pay revenue to agents purporting to be FCT IRS, otherwise they will pay double as only revenue paid into AMAC account will be acceptable. In the same breath, Maikalangu urged AMAC residents not to pay revenue to FCT IRS, but to challenge any official from the Service to go to court for an order that will explain how it came about collecting revenue for AMAC. 

Subsidy Removal: Tinubu to release N200bn to rice, cassava farmers

*To make grains, fertilizers available President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that in a bid to cushion the biting effect of fuel subsidy removal, the federal government will be releasing the sum of N200 billion will be released to farmers to cultivate rice, maize, cassava, and wheat. President Bola Tinubu, who made the announcement in a national broadcast Monday added that the amount would be taken from the initial N500 billion approved by the National Assembly for the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land across the country. According to the President in the broadcast monitored by Nigerian Anchor, the economy will overcome the present turbulence occasioned by the petrol subsidy removal. He further said that there will be an immediate release of grains and fertilizers to ease price increase that is hitting the pockets of Nigerians. “Our economy is going through a tough patch and you are being hurt by it. The cost of fuel has gone up. Food and other prices have followed it. Households and businesses struggle. Things seem anxious and uncertain. “I understand the hardship you face. I wish there were other ways. But there is not. If there were, I would have taken that route as I came here to help not hurt the people and nation that I love. To further ensure that prices of food items remain affordable, we have had a multi-stakeholder engagement with various farmers’ associations and operators within the agricultural value chain. “In the short and immediate terms, we will ensure staple foods are available and affordable. To this end, I have ordered the release of 200,000 Metric Tonnes of grains from strategic reserves to households across the 36 states and FCT to moderate prices. “We are also providing 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, seedlings, and other inputs to farmers who are committed to our food security agenda. “Our plan to support the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland and all-year-round farming practice remains on course. To be specific, N200 billion out of the N500 billion approved by the National Assembly will be disbursed as follows: “Our administration will invest N50 billion each to cultivate 150,000 hectares of rice and maize. N50 billion each will also be earmarked to cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat and cassava,” the President assured.