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.

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.

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