Buhari reappoints Ojo as DG NASC

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reappointment of Dr Olusegun Philip Ojo for the second time as the director general, National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC).

According to a letter signed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, the appointment will take effect from May 26th, 2019.

Ojo was first appointed in May 2015, a time when the Council and the seed sector were faced with challenges and dwindling resources due to the national and global economic recession as well as farmers low awareness of the importance of improved quality seeds.

Prior to his appointment as DG in 2015, he had worked as a seed scientist in the Seed Industry.

His areas of special expertise include Seed Certification and Quality Control, Seed Production, Seed Testing, Seed Conditioning, Seed Storage and Capacity Building.

Since his appointment, Ojo has deployed his experience in transforming the Council into an innovative agency that has recorded tremendous growth and progress, while the momentum towards the actualisation of its mandate continuously increases.

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Under his leadership, Nigeria through the Council is benefiting from the regional harmonised seed regulation within the ECOWAS as the country is so far the only one capable of moving seeds to other countries as a result of its advanced seed system, leading to numerous job and wealth creation opportunities along the seed value chain.

Sales of poor and adulterated seeds to farmers by unscrupulous merchants who defraud farmers and give companies a bad name are at their barest minimum as the Council seed inspectorate mechanism are working tirelessly with stakeholders to arrest fake seed producers and sellers.

Also important is the significant increase in the value of an investment in the seed industry with Nigeria becoming the hub of seed production in Africa where presences of nationally owned large scale seed production companies that compete well with multinational giants are recorded.

Nigeria’s long aspiration to becoming member of international seed organisations such as the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV), International Seed Federation, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD-Seed Scheme), Africa Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) is been realised under his watchfulness.

Ojo as a result of the successes of the seed sector in Nigeria under his watch was recently appointed as a board member of AfricaSeeds – the implementing organ of the Africa Union’s Seed Program. He is also a member of the West Africa Seed Committee and the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA).

The reappointment by Mr President will enable Him in the next 4years, improve and solidify the various achievements of the Council and the Nigerian Seed Industry.