The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has pledged to allocate land in satellite towns to farmers as part of efforts to address food insecurity in the country.
Wike made the commitment on Monday in Abuja during the commissioning of a newly constructed rural road linking A2 Junction on the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway to Pai community in Kwali Area Council.
The project is one of 17 infrastructure developments being inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu to mark his administration’s second anniversary.
“Look at the vast area of land and we are talking about food insecurity.
“With these vast lands, those of you who want to be farmers, real farmers, we are willing to pay compensation to communities and give you farm lands to cultivate.
“This will help us to come out of the food insecurity which the Federal Government is trying to solve,” he said.
Wike, however, said that only real farmers would be considered and not political farmers.
According to him, political farmers will keep the land as speculators and when development comes to the area, they will find ways to sell the lands.
Similarly, Tinubu noted the untap potential of the vast arable land in satellite towns and pledged his administration support to boost agricultural productivity.
“On our way here, we saw opportunities, prosperity, and the need for the establishment of ranches and rural development to uplift the lives of our rural people.
“I observed the need for our great farmers and livestock owners to establish opportunities for grazing and do what is necessary.
“We will help you. We will work with you.
“We will combat what used to be a liability and a source of conflict and turn it into a means of prosperity,” Tinubu said.
