Kebbi floods huge setback for food production, says Buhari

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari
( retd . ), on Wednesday , lamented the recent floods in
Kebbi State which claimed lives and destroyed
farmlands .
While regretting the lives lost, Buhari described the
destruction of farmlands as a huge setback for his
regime’ s commitment to local production of food .
Buhari ’ s position was contained in a statement by his
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity , Garba
Shehu.
The statement was titled “ President Buhari laments
deaths and destruction of farms in Kebbi State by
floods , says disaster couldn ’ t have come at a worse
time for farmers . ”
Shehu said Buhari expressed deep concern over the
floods that took a number of lives, submerged
thousands of hectares of farmlands and houses,
destroying farm produce and personal belongings in
the affected communities .
He quoted the President as saying , “ I am particularly
sad over this incident because it ’ s a setback to our
efforts to boost local rice production as part of
measures to stop food importation .
“ Kebbi State is the focal point of our policy to produce
rice locally as part of this administration ’ s
commitment to agricultural revival which suffered
relative neglect in favour of food importation .