More trouble for PMB: NAPF demands for Piggery colony

NaijaAgroNet:

There seems to be more headaches coming the way of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari as the National Association of Piggery Farmers (NAPF) has written him, alleging marginalization and demanding for a start, piggery colonies in 19 northern states, reports NaijaAgroNet.

NAPF in the letter addressed to the Presidency, and sighted by NaijaAgroNet which was signed by one Ogbuefi Animam Eze, who claimed to be the National Secretary of NAPF, also sent copies to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Defence, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Aka Ikenga, Oodua Peoples' Congress (OPC), Ijaw National Congress (INC), Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and Nzuko Umunna deplore the marginalization of the association by the Federal Government.

“Our pigs have been variously targeted for elimination in several Northern states. Those Sharia compliant states have refused to allow our legitimate businesses to thrive. Our members have been hounded and harassed by the Hisbah Police and others. We deplore this,” the group said.

They also alleged that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) led Chief Audo Ogbeh, has paid deaf ears to our plight, as members demand that the marginalization must stop in order to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

Based on the foregoing, NAPF raised a six-point demand top on agenda being the demand for a 20-hectare Piggery Colony in the 19 Northern States especially Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, Bauchi, Niger, Borno and Gombe.

NAPF insisted that equal opportunities should be given to all farmers and herders throughout the federation and went on to demand from the National Assembly the passage of a law on “Piggery Colonies in all Northern states.”

Further, NAPF demanded that a section of the Nigerian Army be employed in the protection of pigs and pig farmers form any attack, proposing FMARD set aside a budget allocation for the importation of Pig Feed from Argentina, whereas a special department of Piggery in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should be created.

“Dear Mr. President, we are law abiding association. We prevent our members from being provoked by the government-backed Hisbah/Islamic horde that aim to destroy our pig farmers. We shall not be involved in attacking and killing the anti-piggery people in the Sharia States. If these things are not done, we can no longer guarantee that our members would not deliberately target our transducers,” NAPF said.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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PMB applauds security agencies, RedCross, NGOs on release of 82 Chibok girls

NaijaAgroNet:

The President, Muhammadu Buhari has applauded the security agencies, RedCross, non-government organisations on the release of 82 Chibok girls by Boko Haram yesterday, Saturday, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Buhari in his remarks on the release of the 82 Chibok secondary school girls in exchange for Boko Haram members in state security custody, said this is a pleasant 2nd anniversary gift to the people of Nigeria.

“I cannot express in a few words how happy I am to welcome our dear girls back to freedom. On behalf of all Nigerians, I will like to share my joy with you, your parents, your relatives, friends and Government of Borno State on regaining your freedom.

“The Federal Government will like to commend the Security Agencies, the Red Cross, local authorities, local and foreign NGOs and all those who contributed in one way or another to secure the release of our Chibok Girls,” he said.

He reassured Nigerians, especially relatives and friends of the remaining girls that the Federal Government will spare no effort to see that they and all other Nigerians who have been abducted safely regain their freedom.

“Finally, I am very pleased to have personally met you and let me assure you that the Presidency will personally supervise the performance of those entrusted with your welfare and commitments made by the Federal Government on your health, education, security and general well-being,” he said.

Buhari decried that no human being should go through this kind of ordeal. The security agencies and state governments should continue to provide special protection to educational institutions vulnerable to this kind of outrage especially in remote areas.

This administration, he said, is resolutely determined to safeguard the security of all Nigerians at all times.

“Once again, I congratulate you and your parents on your safe return,” he said in a press statement endorsed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Two years without wild polio virus attracts PMB applause

NaijaAgroNet:

Nigerian President, Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, has applauded the attainment of two straight years without wild polio virus in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

President Buhari was reacting to the milestone recently achieved under the auspices of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication, declaring, “This is a historic moment that has brought Africa and the world the closest it has ever been to eradicating this devastating disease. But our job is not yet done.”

“We must protect the gains we have made and stay on course to tackle the challenges that remain in eliminating polio for good.” He added that the Federal Government will “continue to provide the needed oversight and resources to achieve polio eradication in 2017,” he said.

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet signed by the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado J.G. Muhammad quoted the Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, as assured that the Federal Government is committed to building resilience by “getting people out of their comfort zones to further enhance the quality of polio campaigns, reach children in difficult areas and continue to improve routine immunization.”

Muhammad also said that efforts are ongoing to close the remaining surveillance gaps in the programme, including “increasing environmental surveillance sites and community informants across the country.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) acting representative for Nigeria, Dr. Rex Mapazanje, said the National Laboratories in Nigeria have been vigilant in monitoring for polio cases, stressing “We must continue to be on alert for any sign of the virus through heightened surveillance, particularly in the vulnerable populations including insurgency-hit areas of northeast Nigeria and the adjoining areas of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.”

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough, pointed out that achieving a polio-free Africa will bring Nigeria closer than ever to a polio-free world, but that success should not be taken for granted.

“We must continue to work together with all partners, in particular with the traditional institutions at all levels, to ensure we reach every child so we can relegate this paralysing disease to history forever,” he said.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is a public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, applauded the commitment of tens of thousands of people – including Nigerian officials at all levels, UN and NGO partners, health workers, and  community leaders and volunteers in keeping polio out of Nigeria for the past two years.

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Pix: President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria.