Date: 2016-12-23

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Paul Okpue Farms, Mr. Paul Okpue, has said that the 'Green Army' scheme involving the youths in agricultural ventures boost the economy as it can felt the country N293.76bn in 12 months.

He spoke during the 19th annual lecture of the Agricultural Rural Management and Training Institute in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Wednesday.

He stated that the scheme would involve 108,000 youths from across the country which cost about N40.68bn.

According to him, the federal, state and local governments in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture, will provide the seed capital for the scheme.

The Acting Executive Director of ARMTI, Dr. Olufemi Oladunni, said if Nigerians effectively harnessed and deployed the huge potential in the agricultural sector and encouraged all the key stakeholders to play their roles maximally, the sector had the potential of transforming the nation's economy.

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said, considering the prevailing fall in the global prices of crude-oil, a major source of revenue for Nigeria, it had become germane to return to agriculture.

Ahmed, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Agriculture and Rural Water, Mr. Anu Ibiwoye, said the state government had identified the need to take bold steps to develop the agricultural sector to stimulate food security, job creation, wealth creation, economic growth and rural development.