By Franklin Alli

Elephant  Group Africa (one of the key operators in the agricultural sector of the economy), has called on the Federal Government to review the Land Use Act so as to lessen difficulties in acquiring land for agricultural purposes by incestors.

The company has also requested the Bank of Agriculture, BOA, to relax its loan conditions so that many farmers can have access to the facility faster.

The Managing Director  of the company, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, made the call at the weekend when he hosted the executive members of Nigerian Association of Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ)  who paid courtesy visit to his office in Lagos.

Owoeye said the review of the Land Use Act has become necessary so as to ease difficulties in acquiring land for agricultural purposes.

He also reiterated the need for Bank of Agriculture to relax some of their policies so that many farmers can have access to the floans to grow their business and the sector. He advised Politicians to desist from playing politics with the sector warning  that it could have  dire consequences on the country.

According to him, politicising agriculture will adversely affect several revolutionary policies of the present government which are impacting positively on agriculture in Nigeria.

Fielding question onthe current agric policies, he replied “I used to be one of the pessimists who ferociously opposed the policies put forward by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina because I thought the policies are aggressive, ambitious and unachievable but four years down the lane, they are not just achievable but are already yielding results that a lot of countries want to come to Nigeria to copy the agricultural policies of the country.”