Reps committee advocates return of farm settlements, targets 5,000 jobs

House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Services has proposed the establishment of farm settlements across the country in a bid to create over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs for unemployed Nigerians.
 
Yakubu Dogara,
Speaker, House of Representatives
The lawmakers have also begun additional legislative work on a bill “for an Act to Amend the National Agricultural Land Development Authority Act, 2004 to Increase its Membership and Functions for Strategic Operations and Interests and to Vest in the Authority Powers to Establish Farm Settlements across the Country for the Purposes of Attaining Food Sufficiency and to Establish the National Farm Settlement and Youth Empowerment Agency to create a Mechanised System of Farming.”

The bill, which seeks the establishment of farm settlements in Federal Constituencies in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is sponsored by Evelyn Oboro and two others.

It passed second reading on November 1, 2017

Members supported the bill saying it aligns with the current focus of the Federal Government to diversify the economy and create jobs for an estimated 5,000 unemployed Nigerians.

Oboro, who represents Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, said the Committee is asking for a law backing the establishment of farm settlements where large and medium up-takers can do business with female and young farmers as part of an effort to stem the rural- urban drift and reduce poverty in low income communities.

She added that apart from the job component of the bill, the element of lack of standardisation of food exports would also be addressed.

The lawmaker said: “We have been talking about diversifying the economy of our great nation and agriculture is the main area we are looking at. The funding of the agency is just 10 percent from the Ecological Fund. We are asking that it be moved up to 20 percent. It has nothing to do with the Federal Government budget.

She said with the amendment of the bill, the issue of the export of substandard agricultural produce will be reduced to the minimum level in the country


The committee is expected to turn in its report to the House in a few weeks in preparation for the third reading.

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