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| L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Hassan Bello; Kwara State Gov., Abdulfatah Ahmed and Director, Commercial Shipping Services, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mrs Dabney Shall-Holma |
Mrs Dabney Shall-Holma, a
director with the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has urged the Federal Government
to use agriculture to revamp Nigeria’s economy.
Shall-Holma who is the director in charge of
Commercial Shipping Service, made the call in Ilorin at a summit held recently
on how cargo airports could support easy and fast movement of agricultural
produce to various destinations.
She said that agriculture remained the viable
backward re-integration option for the country in view of the sector’s
potentials to create greater job opportunities for unemployed youths.
Shall-Holma emphasised the need for the country
to shift from heavy reliance on mono economy to diversification to boost non –
oil revenue by paying greater attention to agriculture.
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| Shonga Farmers in Ilorin at the event |
The NSC director said rapid development of air
transportation to enhance movement of the abundant agricultural produce to the
international market was an integral aspect of diversification of Nigeria’s
economy.
Shall-Holma said the airfreight sector held
great potentials for future
of the nation’s export and would make Nigeria
gain a lot from perishable, time sensitive and high valued agricultural
produce.
“Nigeria is naturally and abundantly
blessed in agriculture and now is the time to regain its lost glory as the
mainstay of the country’s economy before oil gained prominence.
“What has happened to our cocoa, cotton,
tomato, groundnut, cashew,
water melon, rice, yam, cassava and
wheat?,” she asked.
Shall-Holma said the hinterland cargo/ freight business
must be promoted if Nigeria must grow like the developed
economies.
She called on the government to support and
encourage farmers
by ensuring that their produce is delivered to
local and international markets of their choice.
Shall-Holma commended Kwara government for
building a cargo airport
terminal and developing the Shonga commercial
farm and urged other states to emulate her in reviving the agricultural sector.
