Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, says Nigeria has achieved the status of second largest producer of rice in the world.
The presidential media aide, who spoke on the efforts being made by Pres. Buhari to restructure the economy, called for more patience.
He said the government met a situation in which the economy had been ravaged, while the people had been used to lifestyles that could no longer be sustained.
He said:
“No country will develop when you have to import virtually everything, including tooth pick and tissue paper. All the food we eat in this country was being imported.
So, all of the money earned was just going to buy food. But as I speak to you now, Nigeria just achieved the record of the second largest producer of rice in the world. The rice revolution just started a year ago. .
Some of you from Nasarawa know the kind of things going on there. A newspaper did an investigation in Kebbi and they found out that there were 48,000 new millionaires in Kebbi state alone last year for growing rice.
This over reliance on oil has killed this country and we cannot continue like this. So, the diversification of the economy means more money will be in the hands of ordinary Nigerians. And there will be widespread prosperity all over the country.”
He expressed happiness that “the economy is getting better, oil price is going up and the policies of government in the Niger Delta are beginning to calm things down”. Malam Garba added that “exploration and exportation of oil is growing, gas is coming back and power is getting better”.
“So, all we require of you is to be patient, Pres. Buhari is a long distance runner. He is not looking for short-term gain that people will just clap at him and those advantages just disappear. He wants to build a future of prosperity, a future that will be everlasting-something that will stay for generation upon generation.”