Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has revealed that his administration since its inception has procured about 100,000 metric tons of fertilizer which have been distributed to farmers free of charge up till date.
He made this known on Thursday at the flag-off of free fertilizer distribution exercise across the twenty-one Local Government Area for new sets of farmers.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Engineer Abubakar Ohere, noted that the exercise was part of government’s continued commitment to developing the over 40% of the people of Kogi State who were engaged in farming activities.
He also pointed out that the state has made additional input to the sector such as the procurement of improved seeds, chemicals, equipment which farmers in the state had gotten freely in order to improve Agricultural productivity.
Governor Bello further commented that the construction of an ultramodern Rice mill in Ejiba, Yagba West LGA which had the capacity to produce about 36,000 tons per year equivalent to the production of over 720,000 50kg rice bags annually was another breakthrough in the sector.
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He noted that these giant strides in the Agricultural sector were among other benefits aimed at the diversification of the state’s economy and boast it’s Internally Generated Revenue so as to provide more dividends for the people.
The Algon Secretary and Administrator of Olamaboro Local Government Area, Hon Friday Adejoh, who spoke on behalf of other Administrators thanked the state government for the commodities received
He urged farmers across the 21 LGA to take advantage of the government’s huge spending in the agricultural sector to increase and improve productivity while he promised to ensure equity in the distribution across the local government areas.
The Farmers’ representative, similarly, appreciated the effort of the Governor through the Hon Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Hon Engr Abubakar Ohere, toward boosting Agricultural activities in Kogi State.
He said that farmers in the State have never witnessed such kind gestures, promising that they would continue to give their unalloyed support to the State governor.
The farmers’ representative on behalf of his counterparts, pledged to ensure the effective distribution and use of the commodity as they would make adequate effort to make sure that it reaches the beneficiaries at the grassroots.