President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock and disappointment in the Nigerian media for failing to highlight the progress of his administration in the agricultural sector.

Buhari said this at a dinner he hosted for young political appointees at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The president said under him, agriculture had become so attractive that those who cannot get white-collar job have taken up farming and are reaping the reward.

He added that his government had reduced importation of rice by 90 percent.
“I’m very disappointed with the Nigerian press. They didn’t give this government the credit of the `go back to land programme’,” he said.

“We have cut down the importation of rice by at least 90 percent… I foresaw our problem in agriculture and did the right thing and today, people are much better. In terms of unemployment, our able-bodied persons that do not have education and can’t get white-collar jobs, went back to till the land and today, none of them is regretting it.”

He condemned the rush by some Nigerians, especially the youth, in search of greener pastures abroad, saying his administration is determined to transform the country.

He said: “If people don’t feel good about this country, let them go and find out what is happening elsewhere but we are going to stay here and we are going to salvage this country together.

“I have gone through a lot, I have been Governor, I was in charge of our petroleum sector for over three years, I was Head of State and now I have come without the uniform and have visited each of the 774 Local government Areas in this country.

“The intention of this administration is to do the infrastructure and give education and healthcare to our people especially the poor.”