By Peter Duru
THE Attorney General of  the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Michael Kaasa Aondoakaa SAN, has identified agriculture as the panacea for the current global financial crisis advising that governments at all levels vigorously resuscitate that sector in view of its immense potentials.

The AGF who underscored the importance of resuscitating and developing the nation’s agricultural potentials noted that most developed and underdeveloped nations of the world have resorted to agriculture in the face of the global financial crunch.

He observed that the country is so richly endowed with massive arable land that can sustain large scale agriculture for subsistence and export urged state and local governments to take a cue from the Federal Government by encouraging mechanized farming in the states and council areas.

The Justice Minister who spoke to media men recently in Makurdi, argued that despite the economic downturn the world over, countries of the world still expend huge sums on agricultural and food importation which hence presupposes that countries that revitalize that sector for commercial and export purposes would be in a better stead to whether through the adverse realities of the global downturn.

He emphasised that the agricultural sector holds the key to the quick recovery of the global economy which had been batered in the last one year.the generality of the people.

According to him, “that is why President Yar’Adua is committed to ensuring that the agricultural sector is fully resuscitated through deliberate government programmes and actions and I strongly encourage all state governments to key into that vision and encourage full scale mechanized farming in their various states”.

He noted that the various decisions of the federal government in recent times were pointers to the determination of the federal government in that regards hinting that the President Yar’Adfua led administration would continue to provide all forms of incentives to stakeholders in that sector assuring that in no distant time Nigeria would be a key player in the agricultural sector globally.

The Justice Minister was also quick to point out that all stakeholders in the sector must team up with the federal government to enable it realize its vision for the agricultural sector as encapsulated in the ‘Seven Point Agenda’ of the government.

He stated that the present administration is ready more than ever before to get the country out of the woods economically intimating that that is the focal point of the administration at the moment advising that Nigerians remain patient but supportive of the government’s policies and programmes.