Readers'
Comments
This column considers reactions
of the readers to previous articles important. Such reactions are generally
feedbacks to the issues raised in the articles and it is another way of
allowing readers to make contributions to the column. This week, I am
publishing some of the comments sent by readers of this column for your reading
pleasure. My dear readers, you can access my previous articles from my blog;
www.breakthroughwithmkothman.blogspot.com
Technological Feats of Agricultural Engineers in
Nigeria
Dear M. K. Othman,
Thanks for your interesting articles, I am
particularly interested in the articles on agricultural mechanization especially
the feats achieved by Agricultural Engineers in Nigeria. The desire for our
nation to transform these prototypes machines for the benefits of farmers
cannot be overemphasized. However, the question is; how ready is the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture to create employment among the youths using various technological
innovations? For us, as a nation to achieve agricultural revolution, I wish to
suggest the followings:
1. For the Federal Ministry of Agriculture
and Development to function effectively and respond to the demand of the
nation, the Hon Minister must reform the ministry to have the following
departments: Finance and Investment, Production, Marketing & Research,
Corporate Communication/Farmers Information Service, as well as Legal/Land
Administration. Anything short of re-positioning the ministry along this line
will clearly mean that PMB’s administration is not ready to make farming a
business.
2. PMB-led administration must define who
a modern farmer is vis-a-viz, the desire of government to provide employment
via agricultural sector. In determining who the farmer is; government can then
determine the level of Mechanization that could be adopted to accommodate the
youths.
3. Another factor that must be taken into
account is access to land. Government has to put in place a simple way to
acquire land for agricultural purposes. Virgin lands have to be cleared and feeder
roads constructed for easy access to cleared farm lands
4. The government must make decision
between full Mechanization and current Fertilizer agricultural policy.
Shamefully, it was in the twilight of 2013, when United Nations hinted that
Africa will suffer hunger and starvation, unless, they embark on full Mechanization,
the then ministry of agriculture, under
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina embraced mechanization albeit, in an unwilling manner. It
was clear the previous government had no intention of going into mechanized
agriculture then but for UN’s intervention.
5. Above all, Ministry has to resolve the
cold war between Agronomists and Agric Engineers. This raging cold war has
greatly retarded the growth of agriculture in Nigeria generally. Experts in the
sector believe that agronomists have hidden fear that if Agric Engineers are
allowed to play their natural role in the ministry, they, the Agronomists,
would be relegated to the background. As a result of this fear factor, efforts
at full mechanization of agriculture in Nigeria, has always been frustrated by
the Agronomists and Agric Economists in the ministry. Further, Agric experts
find it difficult to understand what the authorities in the ministry of
agriculture mean by DRY FARMING, if it is not a deliberate effort on their part
to shield Irrigation Engineers from having a say in the ministry. The fear of
agronomists here is, once you call it irrigation farming, it then mean that
Irrigation Engineer must be in-charge, this, they don’t want at the expense of
the advancement of agriculture in Nigeria.
6. In the area of granting loan to
farmers, government must ensure that only the genius farmers get access to the
loan. A situation where Agric loans are given to those entrepreneurs engaged in
food processing, should not be encouraged by Chief Audu Ogbeh led Agriculture
ministry. For instance, anybody involved in the business of Rice mill cannot in
strict term, be called a farmer, because he is involved in food processing. Not
agriculture. He is at best, an
entrepreneur. Core agricultural process terminates at a point the farm produce
are ready for sale, this is called Farm Gate. After the farm produce are sold,
the next category of people involved are either said to be into food or
industrial processing, not farmers in the real sense of it.
Now
that Chief Audu Ogbeh has spoken forcefully on full mechanization of Agric to
provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths in Nigeria; what is
urgently needed is a comprehensive blueprint towards this laudable agenda.
Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, on the flag off
of the second phase of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise [AEHE], Ogbeh
identified the problem of agriculture in Nigeria as well as government’s planned
response to the problem. To his diagnosis, experts in the sector are totally in
agreement with it. However, in
formulating the required blueprint, the minister needs not to look far; he only
needs to pick-up a book called: Memo To
The President, The Challenge of Agricultural Development in Nigeria by Dr.
Clement Kanshio Kaase. I hope this contribution will help to assist Nigeria
achieve food sufficiency and poverty alleviation, amen
Emeka
Oraetoka is, oramekllis@lycos.com
Treasury Single Account: Buhari's
Bold Step and the Journey So Far
Dear M. K. Othman
Your article on TSA is an eye opener to what was taking place in
MDAs in Nigeria. It is obvious that the primary benefit of a Treasury Single
Account is the mechanism it provides for proper monitoring of government
receipts and expenditure. In the Nigerian case, it will help to block most if
not all the leakages that have been the bane of the growth of the economy. We
have a situation where some Ministries, Departments and Agencies manage their finances
like independent empire and remit limited revenue to government treasuries.
Under a properly run Treasury Single Account, this is not possible as agencies
of government are meant to spend in line with duly approved budget provisions.
The maintenance of a single account for government will enable the Ministry of
Finance monitor fund flow as no agency of government is allowed to maintain any
operational bank account outside the oversight of the ministry of
finance. As a matter of fact, deposit money banks stand to lose immensely
from the implementation of Treasury Single Account. This is because of
the fact that public sector funds constitute a large chunk of commercial banks
deposit. Indeed, it is estimated that commercial banks hold large amount
in trillion public sector funds. The impact of this amount of money
leaving the system can be imagined when one considers the fact that each time
the monthly federal allocation is released, the banking system is usually
awashed with liquidity and as soon as this public sector funds dries up through
withdrawal by the states, liquidity tightens again with interbank rates going
up. Of major impact will be the movement of funds of revenue generating
parastatals such as the NNPC, out of commercial banks. The implication of the
policy Treasury Single Account, Banks will continue to
device means of mobilizing funds from the private sector. We see a return
of the era when women are employed by banks specifically for deposit
mobilization and tacitly encouraged to use any means necessary to get
funds. We see increase in deposit interest rates as a major means of
inducing customers and most importantly we see a drop in lending and in
the profitability of banks, at least, in the short to medium term until they
fully come to terms with the impact of the policy and begin to properly
position themselves for true banking business. Ultimately, we see the
share price of these banks falling as investors attempt to price in the policy
impact. However, the implementation of this programme is a critical step
towards curbing corruption in public finance. This is a tool to combat corrupt
practices, eliminate indiscipline in public finance and ensure adequate fund
flow that will be channeled to critical sectors of the economy to catalyze
development. With TSA at the corner, Nigerians must learn to make budget
and work with budget. Bravo M. K. Othman for this well enlighten
information on TSA.
Dr. Muhammad M.
Usman, muttaka@yahoo.com
Dear M. K. Othman
This is an excellent information gathering on TSA. More grease
to your elbow for taking your time to educate public on TSA.
Mr. Nuhu Ishaya,
ishayanuhu2006@yahoo.com
