President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded with the people of Niger Delta to stop the destruction of pipelines and embrace agriculture.

He made the appeal when he was represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, at the 20th anniversary of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers’ Day in Yenagoa on Saturday.

He asked the people to embrace agricultural and stop further destruction of oil facilities.

Buhari said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company,  which, in its bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist,  has for the past 29 years supported its host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP,  a corporate social responsibility initiative, which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.

“I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.

“I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines, which only serve to destroy our ecosystem and economy.

“The present administration is committed to doing everything possible to support the people of the Niger Delta to achieve their potential in agriculture, which is far more than its endowments in oil and gas.”

Azeez