Buhari receives NIPSS report on agric

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received the report of Participants of Senior Executive Course 39 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, with a pledge to implement its recommendations.

Speaking after the presentation of the report at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Buhari said he was glad that the findings and policy recommendations of the report were apt and implementable.

“I am pleased that the participants of Course 39 focused on how Nigeria can address its food security challenges, leveraging science, technology and innovation.

“I have listened attentively to the presentation by the course participants and I am glad that the findings and policy recommendations are apt and implementable.

“As I mentioned in my budget speech just two weeks ago, only tailored Nigerian solutions can fix Nigeria’s unique problems; I am proud to say your report is in agreement with that,’’ he said.

According to the president, the report has come at a time when Nigeria is recording significant successes in efforts to improve its agriculture and food security.

He, however, stressed that Nigeria could not afford to be complacent, saying that “we must develop strategies to sustain this momentum.’’

Buhari said that the economic management team of the government would carefully study the report and work toward implementing its recommendations.

He pledged that his administration would continue to address the challenges facing the NIPSS in terms of infrastructure and manpower needs so as to boost its service delivery.

The Acting Director-General of NIPSS, Jonathan Mela, who fielded questions from State House correspondents after the presentation, said that the report was in line with Buhari’s vision to develop the nation’s agricultural sector through science and technology.

“The president charged the institute to look at ways and means through which science and technology can impact on agriculture and allied industries,’’ he said.

 NIPSS, a policy formation centre for bureaucrats, private sector leaders, officers of the armed forces and medium-rank and senior civil servants, was founded in 1979 to facilitate nation-building efforts.