NAIC Assures Osun Farmers of Support

Staff September 2, 2013

The Managing Director, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Dr. Tijjani Garba, has commended the agricultural transformation programme of the Osun State Government.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday, Garba was said to have made this remark during a courtesy visit to Governor, Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo.
He also gave an assurance to farmers in the state that the company would support them to develop.
Garba noted the governor’s achievements, especially the investment of over N3bn in agro-allied venture inputs, machinery and capacity building for the farmers for greater productivity.
He described the provision of 3,000 youths with employment through the Osun Youth Empowerment Programme as unprecedented and a radical shift in the country’s effort toward addressing youth unemployment.
He, therefore, called on other states of the federation to emulate the Osun initiative.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, who responded on behalf of Aregbesola, appreciated NAIC for its nationwide sensitisation drive on the essence, benefits and operations of agric insurance.
He said poor understanding of insurance was the reason for the public apathy and low patronage of insurance policies.
Oyetola, therefore, appealed to NAIC to do a rebate on its insurance rates, particularly in Osun, where the government had taken proactive measures on flood mitigation, through the construction and opening of canals throughout the state over the years.
He gave an assurance to NAIC of the government’ support towards the promotion of insurance culture among farmers in the state, adding that agriculture insurance was important to the success of modern agric business.
The statement added that farmers in the state urged NAIC to increase its presence and operations at the grass roots through the opening of offices in the local government areas with the view to making local farmers access the benefits and operations of the insurance scheme of the Federal Government.
Speaking during NAIC’s sensitisation programme organised by the company in Osogbo, most of the farmers noted that the firm’s presence and operations were not far-reaching, but restricted to a few areas.
PUNCH