The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, flagged off the distribution of 24,000 bags of fertilizers to farmers in the State, as one of the ways to address the challenge of food inflation and insufficiency.
Abiodun during the ceremony held at the Olusegun Osoba Press Centre, Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, also inaugurated the State Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the State government.
The governor noted that the initiative was one of the people -oriented programmes of the federal government under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, aimed at ensuring that the nation achieved food sufficiency and security.
He maintained that agriculture remains the backbone of the nation’s economy as it provides sustenance, livelihood and job opportunities to millions of Nigerians.
Abiodun opined that the overall food production across the globe could not match up with growing population, hence the need for people to engage in farming.
At the programme attended by the Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite, and some famers groups and associations, which included the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Growers Association of Nigeria, among others, said his administration would be more aggressive than before in tackling food inflation in the State.
He added that his administration had allocated lands to members of the State Council, the House of Assembly and Judiciary for operationalizing back to farm agenda.
Abiodun, therefore, charged the committee saddled with the responsibility for the distribution of the fertilizers to be transparent.
“12000 farmers will benefit from this programme. About 7000 farmers will benefit from the first phase which include Cassava and Rice Farmers Associations; Agro-Services Corporation Farmers; Agric Development Farmers among others and farmers from the 20 local government areas of the State.
“This should be seen as a viable business venture. This initiative symbolizes more than the distribution of fertilizers. It represents our collective resolve to support the agricultural sector and ensure our farmers have resources they need to cultivate their lands effectively and efficiently well,” the governor added.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, in his welcome address, lauded various initiatives of the Dapo Abiodun’s administration in the Agric sector.
While urging the beneficiaries to make good use of the fertilizers for the purpose for which they were given.
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