1audu-ogbeh

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, on Wednesday in Abuja said Nigerian businessmen demanded 2.5 billion dollars (about N492 billion) a week for importation of goods and services into the country.

Ogbeh made this known in a meeting with officials of VICAMPRO, an indigenous Agro Company investing in production of Irish Potato on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the ministry was willing to support local investors with capacity to produce goods and save the country’s foreign exchange.

He said that the consumption of rice in the country was rising and that a lot of people were not aware that the rice had some degree of arsenic.

The minister said that consuming rice in large quantity on a regular basis was a bit of health risk, adding that substituting it with potato would be welcomed development. “The volume of importation of virtually everything into this country is too much.

“The demand for dollars in this country as at today is 2.5 billion a week; this is the quantum of dollars Nigerians are asking for to import things.

“Since 1986, we began this habit of importing everything and doing virtually nothing at home to sustain ourselves; now, we do not have the dollars and people are very hungry.

“This day was coming anyway, no matter who was in power; we have the most ridiculous method of devaluing our currency; every week, we auction the dollar and naira goes up.

“We sat and were hoping that by devaluation, we are going to arrive at Eldorado; if we continue like this, it will be a thousand naira to a dollar,’’ he said.

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313 COMMENTS

  11. Dis old man is really confused abt wat he is saying. Is d masses dat wil determine d rate at which rice shld b sold. We use to buy a bag of rice 6k, 7k. Not until u guys came into power n made it a nightmare for we d masses. I think u shld go into ur closet n beg for forgiveness frm God, cos u r clueless in ur saying

  21. Honestly lam surprise of this childish statement frm a minister of a country. Children make such statement while playing among thier peers, not frm somebody whose duty is to make a change

  46. This man na mugun, a moron….. The most foolish minister Nigeria has ever produced. Why we no go chop rice? Which food dey for Nigeria to eat again? Apart from rice and garri, make this man no blame us for eating rice, make

  49. Dis shows the level of illiterate Buhari is! Hw can Buhari choose Audu who studied French to be Agriculture minister and biliv him to act well! I don’t blame him cos nt his duty. Besides, does dat means dat we’ve nt been eating Rice ever since b4 he became minister? Well thank God 4 nt blaming Jonathan 4 sudden hike in price of RICE

  55. if one person just carry fake rumor that the chemical they are using to produce rice killed people, people will stop eaten rice n it will automatically come dawn, to me I can do without rice but there people who like rice so much, we are praying to God to help Nigeria n he will surely answer us but I don’t no who will leave the seat for that to happen, we are the only people suffering this hardship but those in power are buying trailers of rice for their families but God who had been the beds of the earth who cannot gather in bans will feed us all.

  78. Some pple r confused DAT they don’t know what to say at times, especially now DAT it seems DAT this economic crisis is really affecting everyone. What is the meaning of Nigerians eat rice a lot DAT is y rice is expensive huh? Who don’t know wat is going on in this country now or u tell me wat is not expensive now in this country?

  81. What a washed up brain minister of Agriculture, all APC and the Islamic north was able to produce or give to the so called Nigerians, are just empty/dried up brain president and ministers, that makes one begins to wonder if their brains are totally died or relocated to their anuses, after listening or reading what comes out of their (Muhammadu Buhari and ministers) mouths everyday.

  82. Pls,does dis baba want to take us back to d olden days when rice was only eaten during festivities? Does he not know dat rice has bcom a staple food like garri, yam,etc in Nigeria? Was Adesina’s aggressive pursuit for rice productn not well documented for him to pick up & follow for continuity? He shd pls,stop play’g politics with our lives?

  88. God will judge u guys,how many bags of rice do did minister have in is store room,if he doesn’t have anything to say he should keep is mouth shut,if rice like make e track 50k God most give us provide for us to buy it,Our God is not a poor God

  91. What a nonsense reason! This is very disgusting. So because we eat rice a lot , that is still d reason d economy is in shambles. Oh my goodness!!! What a stupid reason and excuse for failure.

  92. It will Neva be well wit ur next generation cox d present generation u HV already succeeded for been a minister so therefore ur next life u will be poor so as to experience wat Nigerians are experiency rite now

  116. Look at the type of person called a minister? nigerians ate rice before he was born and nothing will stop, is just a matter of 4 yrs or 8 suffering these callibres of nonontities will go.

  119. This one is so so old to become a minister bcos they still live in the past and think like caveman tomorrow he will say we should stop drinking sachet (pure water) then tell me what are the alternative.it baffles me when I hear our leaders say youth are leaders of tomorrow.Ok do you know that Audu ogbe was screened as a minister when sarakis father was a senator the same audu ogbe was screened as a minister by saraki himself now.tell me where are the youth so-called leaders of tomorrow or is audu ogbe the only person from benue?

  131. Una sure say power never make this pple kolo. Is this man a minister of a country or chairman of motor …. Oga minister must you talk. We kn una no sabi but no pure water for the sheet na

  138. Minister of finance: an English teacher…
    Minister of power: a lawyer…
    Minister of labour and productivity: a medical doctor…
    Minister of agriculture: a French teacher…
    Mr President: no certificate…

    And you expect Nigeria to move forward?
    You can’t give what you don’t have

  170. You are talking rubish. As old as you are, you still talk like a three years old child. When PDP was in power, Nigerian did not eat rice. It is now that APC take power, Nigerian eat more rice than before. Shameless man.

  194. Nobody dead the report..he never said such!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he said too much eating of rice is not good cos it contains arsenic…the Nigeria media is ?

  202. Nigeria eat too much rice that why, is costly, before are day not eating it like that before, had it been that is a mad person, is talking like this peoples will say that, no Wonder, that the person is mad.

  208. Mr agriculture what do u want ppl to eat again hen ppl do not stolen money to buy nonsense dt u eat now u are complaining dt poor ppl eat too much rice u are looking for God ‘s wrath why don’t u leave ppl alone, The other time ya counter part said we wld buy rice for 40k by December waoh let d time comes dn u ppl wld know dt we are serving a .living God ,A God of Justice

  209. APC lying too much that’s why lies are very scarce now please APC stop lying so that lies can be available to the devil because he complained that he’s no longer taken serious because of Lies Mohammed( Lai Mohammed )

  218. The minister of agriculture is a puppet, dotage a psychosomatic patient and have being suffering from amnesia for the past 32 years, so he can make any senseless statements, his mentor is suffering from ear infection and he’s a amnesiac. I Don’t blame him, I blame the Western region sycophants and hypocrisy that voted for change.

  227. Am tier for you people reacting to the statement made by minister of agriculture,Nigeria you are wasting your times, days, years relays in others country ,stopped beatings around the Bush, let start use our local made

  233. You see your life..b4 u became minister..Nigeria has been eating rice..now u are now minister Nigeria is now eating rice too much..u dey craz for head..mke sure u resign tomorrow plz..coz u don’t know ur duty as a minister

  235. Nigerian’s listing to good advice, before IBO people are trying on manufacturing some goods,but we condemn it ,Hausa are trying on agriculture we condemn it
    Yoruba’s trying on rebuilding we condemn it, we relying on foreign production and complained our local made is not good, stop kill Nigeria

  241. Will u force nigerian ppl to starve? Iiiiidoooot!!! Is u who eats 2 much rice!!! Nigerians re free and have the freedom to eat whatever they like!!! Noone has the right to even mix into their affairs and complain about how.and what and when they eat!!! U re a big fool!!! Is betta u go on a life long diet urself!!! So that the nation can have more rice!!!

  242. The Lord will disappoint the tokens of lires and bring to nothing the counsel of the nationas. Many are the devises of the wicked but the counsel of the Lord it shall stand. Who is he that says a thing and it cometh to pass when the Lord has not commanded?association yourselves oh ye people and ye shall be broken in peices,say a thing and it shall not stand…

  246. These men and the ir boss are clowns, how can Someone Open his mouth to say such rubbish, they seem to have nothing to do and they also cant value to the economy and don’t have any good to add to the Country, they only Wanted power but don’t know what to do with it, so they better resign and go to the ir varios houses and let men Who know what to do come in.

  250. So all this while they never knw Nigerians eats a lot of rice its now that things are bad and less consumption of food he knw that Nigerian eats alot of rice my God of hunger strike u and ur family

  271. Another one….

    Attention Herdsmedia!!!!

    PRESS STATEMENT
    I did not say rice is expensive because Nigerians eat too much rice – Ogbeh

    The Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Rural development – Chief Audu Ogbeh has dismissed news report quoting him as saying ‘Nigerians eat too much rice, that’s why it is expensive’.

    “This is totally false, misleading and a sheer display of irresponsible journalism, reckless sensationalism, and poor ethics,” the minister said. He noted with disappointment that the mischievous headline in question was completely at variance with the content of the news story.

    The Minister decried the deliberate misinformation by the media which has become a frequent occurrence and calls for caution, self-censorship and ethical compliance by journalists and social media activists.

    For the avoidance of doubts, the minister stated that during a recent meeting he held with an indigenous Agro Company investing in the production of Irish Potato in Nigeria, he did talk about the health risk associated with the excessive consumption of rice and advised Nigerians to occasionally substitute rice with potato for improved diet.

    Chief Ogbeh wondered how the statement attributed to him in the headline came about when no supporting statement or quote was provided in the content of the news report.

    He advised Nigerians to beware of misleading headlines; pay close attention to media reports that come with such and should challenge the Press to abide by their professional ethics.

    Aishat Ayijimoh Onusi (Mrs)
    Adviser on New Media

    Alade Olugbenga

  285. With all due respect Sir, no be today Nigerians start to chop RICE ooo. E don start since the year “something something tururu”. One thing is sure, there is no hunger in the jungle that would deny the Lion (King of the forest from eating flesh). Nigerians are Kings, Queens, princes & princesses. No matter how bad the economy is, God in His infinite mercy will mysteriously & continually provide this staple favourite called RICE for us, His favourite. Please kindly tell us anoda story.

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