By Francis Nansak,Lafia
In continuation of free fertilizers provided to Nasarawa State Government by the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support farmers for food security and sufficiency in Keffi Local Government Area received it’s fair share of 1000 bags that was distributed across 10 wards the council on Thursday.
Addressing the beneficiaries during the distribution exercise,which some persons attempted hijacking the product, the governor on notice of the dirty act, directed that the bags be retrieved and given to corp members who were initially not captured among the selected beneficiaries.
Governor Sule also gave the retrieved bags to praise singers(Mawaki) pointing out that instead of allowing greed and manipulation of the distribution, other person’s who were initially not included be favoured.
He said, the aim of president Bola Tinubu for the fertilizers to be distributed freely to farmers across states was actually to boost food productivity and food security, which will curb the rising cost of commodities in the market
” This idea was reached in one of our meetings with the president who thought it wise that fertilizers be distributed freely to Nigerian farmers, so that it will help them reduce the cost of selling their farm produce at an exorbitant price.
” You know this could make a farmer who got this fertilizer for free to start considering making moderate gains instead of selling at high cost.
” So this exercise is just starting and we are using this as a testing ground to see how our farmers can go about it. This also is another way of subsidizing farm inputs we are doing this for the rainy season farming and when it is dry season, we shall again embark on another free fertilizers distribution, but that also depends on how any benefitting local government area goes about the fertilizer” Engr Sule said.
The Governor, however, warned the beneficiaries to sell the product to nonfarmers whose intention is to make it for gains to desist from such.
Also, the Keffi Local Government Chairman, Honourable Mohammad Baba Shehu warmly welcome His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, members of his entourage and other dignitaries to the symbolic occasion marking free distribution of fertilizer to farmers in Keffi Local Government Area for this year’s 2024 farming season.
He said Without much ado “permit me to commend His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for making Agriculture a top priority in the Renew Hope Agenda and recognizing the fact that agriculture remains one of the greatest instruments for promoting development and reducing poverty across all countries of the World.
” Especially in basically agrarian ones like Nigeria. Suffice it to say that no nation can develop without first transforming its agricultural sector.
” The provision of these fertilizers to our farmers would no doubt boost food production with a view to mitigating the effect of the unprecedented rise in the cost of food items in our markets. It goes to show that Mr. President is indeed humane in spirit, moral in purpose and wise in the use of power for the benefit of the citizens, especially our farmers” He posited.
Continuing Baba Shehu said Nasarawa State is one of the greatest producers of farm produce in the country which explains why His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule has noticed the peculiar agricultural problems in the State and have chosen rural development as an informed approach to the empowerment of our people in order to arrest rural-urban drift and bring modern development to the generality of the people.
The Chairman appreciated Governor Sule for the provision of a Tractor, fertilizers and other farm inputs to Keffi, especially during the 2024 Dry Season Farming which is a testament to the fact that the Nasarawa State Government is determined to bring about food sufficiency and to arrest hunger among our people at the grassrts.
Earlier, Â the Emir of Keffi ,Dr Shehu Yamusa 11 represented by Abubakar Shamsudeen thank the governor for taking time out to supervise the distribution of the federal government free fertilizers to farmers in Nigeria.