The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom , on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari  no to lift  the ban on rice importation as it remains a major milestone in the agricultural development in the state.

The governor made the appeal in Makurdi when he was visited by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Ortom during the visit said the state commends the president and the Federal Government for the policy which has helped in boosting rice production and agriculture in general in the state.

“The ban on rice importation remains a major milestone in the development of agriculture in Benue. We want to appeal to the Federal Government to continue with the policy.

“There might be hardship for a little while but farmers are smiling to their banks now compared to what used to happen. I have been into farming since 1984 and I am a living witness to this development.

“Before now, when we cultivate rice, we were not able to sell even the cost of production but today things have changed. Just harvest, the market is already there,” he said.

The governor said many youths had ventured into rice farming thereby solving the challenge of unemployment.

He assured that with the sustained policy and a value chain in the sector, Benue had the capacity to produce the staple food for the country.

Ortom also urged the Federal Government to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide incentives for farmers and private investors in the value chain.

The governor also thanked the president for the support to the state in addressing the challenge of insecurity as issue of farmers-herders clashes had been reduced to the barest minimum with the help of the laws passed by the state banning open grazing.

Ortom said with the support of the security agencies, no fewer than 400 herdsmen had been arrested for infraction out of which 140 had been convicted.

He appealed to the Federal Government to help the state in the relocation of internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict to their homes.

The minister had earlier hailed the governor’s efforts in agriculture and in tourism development.

He specifically thanked the governor for keeping his promise in donating the edifice for the institution.