Reps meet CDS, minister over presidential directive on farming Monday

The House of Representatives Committee on Defence will on Monday, July 23, 2024, meet with the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and the Chief of Defence Staff,  Gen Christopher Musa, to ascertain how the military intends to go about the directive by President Bola Tinubu for the military to cultivate their land.

The Chairman of the Committee, Babajimi Benson, who disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing journalists in his office, said the President gave the charge as part of measures to address the challenges of food insecurity in the country.

He said, “If there is food security, insecurity will go down. So, the Army should take possession of their land. Let’s say they have one million hectares somewhere. There is not going to be insecurity in that area because it is going to be manned by the military.

“We are taking the initiative on Monday,  next week. We are going to call the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, to come and explain to us how they want to transform Mr. President’s directives into reality. Let the armed forces who protect us be involved in this. Let them cultivate the vast land before them.”

Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, commended Tinubu for championing local government autonomy, saying, “This will help in addressing insecurity in the country as security starts from the grassroots and with the autonomy, local government council chairmen will have more funds to develop their areas and secure lives as well as properties. Financial autonomy granted to local governments would spur development and close ungoverned spaces, which induced insecurity.

“I give super kudos to the President of Nigeria for ensuring that there is local government autonomy because security starts from the grassroots. So, if you empower a local government to have full receipt of their monthly applications, they don’t have immunity like the governors, and people are aware that now, the shackles are broken. I don’t think there will be any stretch or space in Nigeria that will not be governable.

“When I received reports from my military people, they told us that there are a lot of ungovernable spaces, areas where no single government presence exists.

“It now behoves the people to be wise in choosing people that administer them because if you do that, this is a game changer, in my opinion. I think it is a game changer that can be catalytic for Nigeria’s development.”

The lawmaker added that state policing should be optional, saying, “If I have the power to make legislation,  I will say state policing is not by force. If you want it, apply. If a governor applies for state policing, the authority vetting it. Maybe the Police Service Commission will look at it, and if they pass the test,  they should be given on a pilot scheme.

“There should also be conditions, like  if you give them the license and they don’t do well,  you can suspend, revoke, and the license may not be renewed.”