Osinbajo meets with governors, ministers over rice

Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s acting president, has reportedly met with state governors and some ministers in the Muhammadu Buhari cabinet inside Aso Rock.

The Nation reports that the meeting concerned the Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat, but that it held behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, February 20.

The report quoted the Kebbi state governor, Bagudu Atiku Abubakar, as saying that the forum reviewed the wheat and rice programme of the country.

It also discussed how to support states to increase wheat production.

He said: “This is the meeting of Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat and we reviewed the wheat programme and what we can do more to support states in order to increase production of wheat.

“The meeting is to ensure that our farmers who had responded to the call are supported in terms of getting good price for their output.

“We reviewed where we are with rice production. The acting president noted with satisfaction all the efforts of the different stakeholders to attain food sufficiency in the shortest possible time.

“The acting president assured the meeting that the federal government will continue to support the drive towards food self-sufficiency.

“He said the government will support the farmers, the millers and other stakeholders involved in the value change‎.”