Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (amendment) Law 2016

DELTA STATE AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (AMENDMENT) LAW 2016

1. Short Title and Commencement. This Law may be cited as the Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Amendment) Law 2016, and shall come into force on the 30th day of November, 2016.

2. Interpretation. In this Law: "Principal Law" means the Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Law Cap. D2 Laws of Delta State 2006.

3. Amendment of Section 2 of the Principal Law. Section 2 of the Principal Law is amended by inserting the following definitions in their appropriate alphabetical positions: "Fisher folk" means people whose main occupation is fishing. "House" means Delta State House of Assembly.

4. Amendment of Section 4 of the Principal Law. Section 4 of the Principal Law is hereby deleted and the following section substituted: "4. The Authority shall consist of a chairman appointed on a part time basis by the Governor, who must be a person of proven integrity, and shall be a holder of a recognized degree or professional qualification or its equivalent on the field of modern Agriculture and Rural Development Technology with a minimum of Ten (10) years experience and the appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the House together with the following persons as members: (a) a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources; (b) a representative of the Ministry of Economic Planning; (c) a representative of the Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Urban Development; (d) the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development or his representative; (e) the state Chief Job Creation Officer or his representative; (f) the project Manager of the Authority; and (g) three (3) members from the Private Sector to represent the interest of Agriculture Practitioners from the three (3) Senatorial Districts of the State."

5. Amendment of Section 7 of the Principal Law. Section 7 of the Principal Law is amended by inserting after subsection (2) the following subsection: "(3) The Project Manager shall be the Secretary to the Authority and shall: (a) conduct the correspondence of the Authority; (b) keep proper records of the proceedings of the Authority; and (c) perform such other functions as the Authority may from time to time direct."

6. Amendment of Section 8 to 10 of the Principal Law. Sections 8 to 10 of the Principal Law is hereby deleted.

7. Amendment of Section 11 of the Principal Law. Section 11 of the Principal Law is hereby amended to read Section 8 and to renumber consequentially.

8. Amendment of Section 5 of the Principal Law. Section 15 of the Principal Law is hereby deleted and the following Section substituted: "15. The programme shall; (a) facilitate the access of farmers to seeds cuttings, seedlings, fingerings, fertilizer, pest- disease-and-weed control chemicals and other inputs and services (such as credits) necessary for the profitable and effective production and management of crops, fish and rearing of livestock; (b) sensitize, teach/educate and enlighten farmers on the availability, suitability and use of modem and more efficient farming processing and storage methods, technology and inputs; (c) facilitate the linkages and relationships of farmers to the market operators, agro- processor, and market support services and thereby promote off-taking of agricultural produce at fair prices; (d) perform any other programme implementation functions in the agricultural development of the State as may be approved or directed by the Authority for the overall interest of the State; (e) disseminate improved farming and farm management methods and practices to farmers and fisher folk in the State; (f) maintain vigorous result-oriented and unified Agricultural Extension services; (g) develop a comprehensive staff development programme; and (h) do anything necessary for the exercise of its functions under this Law."

9. Amendment of Section 16 of the Principal Law. Section 16 of the Principal Law is amended as follows: (a) in paragraph (i), by deleting the words "construct and maintain" before the word “roads” and substitute the words "facilitate the construction and maintenance of;" (b) in paragraph (iii), by deleting the words "establish a supply company for" before the word "the" and substitute the word "facilitate;" (c) in paragraph (v), by deleting the words "construct and maintain" before the word "buildings" and substitute the words "Facilitate the construction and maintenance of; and (d) in paragraph (viii), by deleting the word "and issue debentures and provide other securities in respect of Loans" after the word "Law" and substitute the words "with the consent of the Governor."

10. Amendment of Section 17 of the Principal Law ("Acquisition of fund") Section 17 of the Principal Law is hereby amended by deleting the words "be" before the word "have".

11. - Section 19 of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the word "project" and substitute the word "programme" wherever it occurs.

12. Amendment of Section 20 of the Principal Law ("Accounts"). Section 20 of the Principal Law is hereby amended by deleting the words "in request of accounts and" in line 2.