Government frowns at un-utilised Agric assets Nationwide

Government frowns at un-utilised Agric assets Nationwide

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has said effective Monitoring and Evaluation of projects and programmes of the Ministry are imperative to attain Agricultural development in Nigeria. He said the Ministry of Agriculture must align itself with the priority projects and deliverables set by the present administration for all Miniseries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including the Ministry of Agriculture saddled with the mandate of providing the enabling environment for the attainment of food security.

Nanono made the statement today during a Special Interactive Meeting on Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects and Programmes organized by the Ministry for States and Zonal Directors.

According to the Minister, ‘’there is need for an integrated approach among project Monitoring and Evaluation, Collaboration is necessary among projects and programmes Departments, Zonal and State Offices as well as the department of Policy and Planning Coordination saddled with projects monitoring and evaluation in the ministry among others’. He added ‘’I observed that zonal directors and state coordinator are the foot soldiers of the ministry having critical role to play in facilitating the realization of this mandate.’’

The Minister informed that the Ministry is focused on three major key areas such as Agricultural Mechanization, livestock Management and Extension Services. He therefore said that all hands must be on deck for the actualization of these Programmes to enhance food sufficiency and reduce unemployment in the country.

Nanono noted that the interactive meeting ‘’would provide the opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the 2019 priority projects in line with current administration emphasis on implementation reports to enable us commence the  implementation of the 2020 capital projects.”

The Minister directed all the States and Regional Directors to take proper documentation of the Ministry’s unutilized assets across the country. He stressed that ‘’it is very important to know where there are and also know the status of the assets in there state” He said living them is like a misnomers.’’

In his address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Dr. Abdulkadir Mu’azu, called for synergy between the Headquarter, Zonal and State Offices as well as other stakeholders in the project implementation Programmes.

He also directed all the departments and units in the ministry to align its activities to the agriculture-specific 2019-2023 priority project, Programme and deliverables handed down as key mandate of the Ministry by Government the Federal Government.

In his goodwill message, Chairman House Committee on Agricultural  Production and Services Hon. Muntari Danduste, said Monitoring and Evaluation is key to the success of any government affairs and appealed for sustainability of the Programme to enable the ministry articulate its milestones and challenges.

On his part, Chairman, House Committee on Agric Colleges/ Institutions, Hon Munir Dan Agundi commended the ministry for the meeting stating that it was imperative in the actualization of the ministry’s mandate. He called on the need for more synergy with the ministry ‘’so that we can be on the same page.’’ He also appealed to the Ministry to keep an eye on its agencies particularly the agric institutions.

Okeh Juliet (MRS)

For: Director Information