[Mhiz Rebecca]

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to make appointments
into all boards by January 2017.
This was confirmed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, Garba Shehu.
Although a similar promise was made on December 28, 2015, one
year after, most federal government agencies are still without boards.
Shehu explained that the delay was because of an issue of interest to
members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but said “the
process will be fully back on track at the beginning of the New Year.”
He said: “You know that the reconstitution began methodically from
sector by sector. You should expect that to resume at the beginning
of the New Year. The president has given directions on what to do.”
Shehu also stated that Buhari’s persistent call for a return to
farming was yielding good results.
“The talk about agriculture has driven people to the farm. This year,
there is a huge boom in the rural economy. We have witnessed an
excellent harvest. Farmers are getting value for their output.
“What has encouraged farmers the more is the increasing availability
of extension services. New farming techniques are helping farmers to
do their occupation better. The readiness of off takers to buy the
produce is also a major boost.
“When you put all these together with the systematic move to curb
importation as a boost to local production through the restriction of
the available foreign exchange to critically important sectors of the
economy, you have favourable environment for the diversification of
the economy.
“As we speak, several of the country’s major manufacturing
industries are actively backward-integrating- Nestle, Unilever, the
breweries are looking at what we have as local materials, changing
their formulations to maintain production levels and keep their
shares of the market.
“Manufacturers, who are hooked on import of raw materials, are
advised to re-strategise and take full advantage of local raw
materials. The future belongs to those who employ the use of local
raw materials,” he said.