Ogbe Debunks CNN Famine Claim
Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development[/caption]
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has denied reports by Cable News Network, CNN and some United Nations’ agencies, of imminent famine in Nigeria.
Ogbeh, who made the denial when he featured at a News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Forum in Abuja, also said the Federal Government was doing everything possible to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production before the end of 2018.
According to Ogbe, the CNN re mixing the situation in the North-East with the situation nationwide.
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He said “I have seen that on CNN, starvation in Somalia and Nigeria, and then they go on to talk about the civil commotion in the North-East.
“I don’t think that the rest of Nigeria is facing any threat of famine. That is not true and I think these agencies have to be a little more careful in their prognoses.”
Also, the minister said that three UN agencies, including Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Food Programme and International Fund for Agricultural Development, had reported that Nigeria would suffer famine, food shortage and malnutrition. But Ogbeh said it was virtually impossible for Nigeria to face famine or starvation because the country remains a major source of food for other African countries such as Algeria, Libya and the rest.
Ogbeh stressed that his ministry was trying to re-engineer food processing procedures in the country.
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“Federal Government is doing everything possible to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production before the end of 2018.
The minister, however, said that rice production in the country had improved appreciably, particularly in states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
Ogbeh said that in the northeastern part of the country, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states were taking due advantage of their dams by engaging in rice production as well.
