The Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, on Monday said that with the drop in Nigeria’s oil production over the last few months from the 2.5 million barrel per day early in the year to 1.92mpd, there will be a struggle between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the United States of America.
Aliyu said at the inauguration of the Niger State Agricultural Transformation Committee in Minna that it was time Nigeria looked for other sources of income rather than depending on oil, especially now that most West African countries have discovered oil.
According to Aliyu: “Oil is now found in virtually everywhere.
“People have found other ways other than oil.
“OPEC and the United States will in the next two months struggle for the oil market.
“You must have read recently the USA is saying that they no more need African energy.
“In fact, in the next few weeks or months, the competition will be between OPEC and USA for the world’s oil market and you will even notice oil is everywhere in West Africa.
“For us in this country, we must be conscious of the fact that we cannot rely on oil.
“From the month of May to July this year, we have been having lots of problems in terms of what accrues to the Federation Account.
“The Allocation Committee has postponed its meeting because the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation did not declare the funds available and many thieves have found their way into the oil industry.
“Our budget was predicated on 2.5mpd but today what they (NNPC) declared was about 1.92mpd.
“But even though the 2.5mpd is only declaration, Nigeria as a nation doesn’t know the amount of oil that goes out.
“So, in other words, we must get back to the land for Agriculture and that is why we have the transformation committee in Niger State.”
Governor Aliyu said the solution to the looming financial crisis was for the country to return to the land and make farmers to embark on mechanized farming, which informed the inauguration of the committee.
The governor later announced new prices for the sale of fertilizer this planting season, directing that each bag of NPK brand of the commodity should be sold at N3,000 while the Urea type will go for N2,700 and the Super Phosphate will sell for N3,000.
Aliyu warned officials saddled with the sale of the farm input to ensure fairness and make sure the commodity get to the real farmer.
Responding on behalf of the 15-member committee, of which the governor is the chairman, the Commissioner for Agriculture, who is the Vice Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, promised that they will discharge their duty to satisfaction of all stakeholders.
Matane said agriculture holds the key to the economic transformation of the state, adding that the committee will move to realise this goal within a short period.
Other members of the committee include the Commissioner, for Works, Muazu Bawa; that of Local Government Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Tagwai; the Commissioner for Fisheries, Dr. Mohammed Yisa Vatsa; Commissioner for Information, Prof, Mohammed Kuta Yahaya; and the state Chairman of the Farmers society of Nigeria.