Senate Demands Supplementary Budget to Tackle Flooding *We’re facing humanitarian crisis, Bayelsa govt cries out Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate has asked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and R
The Senate has asked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to present a supplementary budget to the National Assembly following the destruction of farmlands and crops by the current flooding across the country.
He urged the ministry to ensure full utilisation of the N9 billion released to it so far so that it would be able to plan towards the N17billion due for release soon. He added that the ministry had also implemented programmes on youth employment in Agriculture, and women in agriculture business development.
He said the ministry was engaging youth in agriculture for increased production of commodities and to achieve accelerated sustainable development of the economy. He said less than two per cent of the national budget was been committed to agriculture as against the 10 per cent agreed by African Heads of state at the Malabo declaration, among other challenges.
Gbaranbiri also disclosed that about 700,000 persons have either been displaced or affected by the flood.