It disclosed this in a document obtained by our correspondent from the ministry in Abuja, which was put together by the ministry’s Department of Rural Development. The agric ministry also revealed that it constructed rural roads during the period under review, a task that is majorly undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. The document read in part, “From 2016 to 2022, under Capital Appropriation, Constituency and intervention funds for the implementation of the rural infrastructure projects, the department constructed 1,583.2km rural roads. To clear concerns on why the agric ministry got involved in power, works and water projects, which should be handled by the Federal Ministries of Power, Works and Water Resources, the FMARD explained that the delivered facilities were not outside the mandate of its rural development department. It named the infrastructures to include the construction and rehabilitation of rural feeder roads, boreholes, mini water treatment plants, and provision of solar-powered and conventional electricity.

Source: Punch December 29, 2022 12:17 UTC