President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja inaugurated 13 sky-high pyramids consisting of one million bags of paddy rice.

Unveiling the FCT Mega Rice Pyramids at the Abuja International Trade Fair Complex, Buhari said the event showed that the country was making steady and assured progress towards self-sufficiency in food production.

The president expressed the commitment of his administration towards implementing home-grown policies targeted at securing food for all Nigerians.

According to him, the unveiling of the pyramids is a testament to the fact that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has started yielding fruitful results.

He urged other agricultural commodity associations that were yet to participate under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme to emulate the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in supporting federal government’s drive for food self-sufficiency.

He said: “Fellow Nigerians, our gathering here today, is no doubt a testament to the fact that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme is working.

“Indeed, these sky-high pyramids for which we are gathered here to commission are part of our commitment at achieving national food security and economic diversification through home-grown policies targeted at securing food for all Nigerians.

“As a critical policy of the government, the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme is expected to catalyse the agricultural productive base of the nation,”.

This, he said, was a major part of the economic plan to uplift the economy, create jobs, reduce reliance on imported food and industrial raw materials, and conserve foreign exchange.

The president recalled that about three years ago, the first set of sky-high pyramids of rice harvests were showcased in Argungu, Kebbi.

Buhari said this was followed by another set in Minna, Niger, last year, and barely three months later in Zauro, Kebbi State, rice pyramids were again unveiled.

“Later, in May 2021 the CBN unveiled the first rice pyramids in the South-West of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

“Those events were historic as, first, they remind us of our yester-year’s agricultural commodity pyramids, such as the groundnut pyramids in Kano and secondly, they symbolize that we can produce what we eat.

“The significance of today’s occasion can be better understood by looking at the various economic strides the administration has achieved through agriculture,” he explained.

The president also expressed the hope that the massive production of rice would translate to reduction in the price of the commodity in the markets across the country.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, lauded the Buhari administration for initiating the agricultural revolution programme, which he said had translated into wealth for farmers across the country.

In his remarks, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, described agriculture as the focal point of the Buhari administration.

“I am particularly delighted because these stacks of rice pyramids provide undisputable and unassailable evidence of significant progress under President Buhari’s food security initiatives and administration.

“I personally salute your vision of making agriculture a cornerstone and one of the focal points of your administration,” he said.

He saluted the farmers for summoning courage to embark on agricultural activities despite security challenges in some parts of the country.

Goodwill messages were delivered at the event by governors of rice producing states of Ekiti, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Cross River, and Jigawa.

TheStar