President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, sympathised with the people of Kebbi State on the flood that destroyed farmlands and caused considerable loss of crops and homes.
Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “I am highly touched by the sheer scale of the losses suffered by our hard-working farmers in Kebbi State.
“This sad news couldn’t have come at a worse time for this administration because of the role of Kebbi State farmers in supporting the government’s initiative to promote local rice production as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on importation of the commodity.
“This flood disaster represents a setback for the efforts to boost local rice production in the country, for which Kebbi State is playing a leading role.”
Apart from creating job opportunities and “decent incomes” for farmers, Buhari noted that agriculture played a key role in the economy of any country.
“When our farmers are hit by these kinds of large-scale losses on account of natural disasters, the government should be genuinely concerned, especially as this unfortunate event occurred at a critical time when my administration is pursuing a policy to restore the primacy of agriculture in our national life,” the President added.
Buhari urged the affected farmers not to despair.
The President assured them that they would not be forgotten by the Federal Government.
He commended the state government led by Senator Abubakar Bagudu for the swift measures taken to alleviate the hardship of the victims and the use of emergency federal aid.
