*Wants FG, CBN to intervene
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Poultry Association of Nigeria, (PAN) yesterday, alerted that members of the association across the South West states have lost about N40 billion to the Federal Government policies of naira redesign
South West Chairman of the Association, Reverend Gideon Oluleye raised the alarm at a press conference held at the Oyo State NUJ Press Centre in Iyaganku area of Ibadan.
Reverend Oluleye pointed out that the Federal Government policies
through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is presently killing poultry industry in Nigeria, saying, ” poultry farmers in the South West and the entire country are facing due to the financial crisis brought about by the Federal Governments policies of Naira redesign”
According to Reverend Oluleye, ” this policy of CBN has brought about untold hardship on our farmers and the investments on their farms. We the farmers are not against this policy, but its timing and implementation strategy has brought untold hardship on farmers”.
” We want to let the government know that losses incurred by farmers are heavy and crushing. A lot of farms have collapsed, others are running at half capacity while many others will soon close down, if the government does not come to the aid of poultry farmers “, he said
Reverend Oluleye added, ” as we speak now, between 15 – 20 million crates of eggs are in the economy looking for buyers. In order to save the poultry subsector of the economy, generating about 6% of the G.D.P from total collapse, the Federal and State Governments, the Central Bank of Nigeria and all other agencies of government concerned, must rise up and intervene in this subsector of the economy”.
” The intervention should come in the following areas; Mopping up of about 15 – 20 million crates of eggs and chicken unsold in the economy right now to ameliorate the losses of the farmers. These products should be used in feeding the people in I.D.P’s and all our correctional centres all over the country. Some could also be used in government hospital where meals are served as eggs helps in quick recovery and in building up immunity of sick patients.”
Reverend Oluleye stressed, “we also want the Federal Government as a matter of urgency to resuscitate the school feeding programme as eggs and chicken meat forms the major component of the programme. This will go a long way in absolving some of the eggs and chicken meat from the farmers”.
Speaking further, the PAN South West Chairman noted “we are also pleading with the Federal, States and the Central Bank of Nigeria to intervene now in subsidizing major imputes particularly maize and soya much more than they have been doing before. This will also help in ameliorating the negative impact of the naira redesign policy of the government on the farmers.
” We also want to use this medium to appeal to the international grants and donor agencies like; IFAD, N.G cares, World Bank, Private Financial Advisory Network (PFAN) etc to come to the aid of poultry farmers in Nigeria and particularly South West region, with grants and financial aid to poultry farmers, as the poultry sector has already been devastated by Covid’19 and the policy of naira redesign to the extent that over 25million Nigerians employed in the sector may loose their jobs very soon.
Reverend Oluleye pointed out that ” a lot of farmers are running on loan and as a result of this crisis, they could not meet their loan obligation any more. We want the C.B.N and the Federal Government to help in defraying part of the loan and in some cases out right cancellation of the loan. This will enable farmers to recover and save the sector from collapsing”.
” The Federal and State Governments should also embark on strategic investments in the poultry subsector of the economy. Some of such strategic investments are setting up of egg powder processing factory at least one in each geopolitical region of the country, establishment of large chicken processing facilities of international standard where chicken meat can be processed for export to other countries. This will inturn generate foreign exchange for the country.
He stated further that as an emergency measure, let the federal government constitute a committee that will begin the process of mopping up all unsold eggs and chicken meat due to naira redesign policies as these eggs are already going bad. A situation where a single farmer has a hundred thousand crates of eggs unsold in the farm now, the value of which is over two hundred million. Mopping up this eggs and chicken meat now, will be a good measure in preventing the sector from imminent collapse.
