Why Buhari approved N34 billion for rural roads — Minister of Budget & Natl Planning

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, said on Thursday that President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of N34 billion to construct and rehabilitate rural roads around agro corridors was to, amon others, put an end to post-harvest losses.

Agba spoke when he inspected and inaugurated the 3.5km asphalted road, Umucheke, Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State.

He said that the president approved the money in order to grow food production, provide food security as well as assist farmers in the country to make profit by freely moving their produce to urban areas.

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He said: “Early last year, when coronavirus came into our country, it was a very big challenge and it turned out to be an economic pandemic because we were forced to shut down the economy.

“But to tackle the challenges, Mr President set up an economic crisis committee, headed by the Vice president, Yemi Osibanjo, and what you are seeing today (Thursday), which is the 3.5km Asphalt Road – Umucheke, Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, is the outcome of the work of that committee.

“The committee, with the economic suitability plan, was to focus on the rural areas. As a result of this, Mr president approved N34 billion to do works in the rural areas and currently we are working on 377 rural roads in 266 communities around the corridor of agricultural activities.

“The first thing we have to do is to create the access roads through which food produced from rural communities can be taken to urban areas and the evidence is here.

“Also, we have a provision of about N500 billion for farmers, which they can access as loan to improve agriculture activities. But you need to register so that the ministry can come and assess your farm for you to be able to access the loans,” Agba said.

He commended the contractors, the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders for ensuring. the timely delivery of the road.

He said his mission was to inspect ongoing rural roads captured under the N34 billion intervention to see if more fund was needed.

Agba, however, expressed both surprise and joy that the road he came to inspect had actually been complete, stressing that he would accomplish the dual task of inspecting and inaugurating the road project.

Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural development, Sabo Nanono, represented by the Southeast director of the ministry, Kehis Felix, said “when we were pointing out roads to be considered, we considered the 3.5km Asphalt Road – Umucheke, Okwe in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, because of the volume of traffic on the road as well as the farming activities that go on in and around this community.”

Present on the occasion was the House of Representative member, representing Imo North, Miriam Onuoha; former National Organizing Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Emma Ibediro; and, Imo state commissioner for Agriculture, Lambert Olisakwe, among others.