Agriculture
Monarch Wants Food Items For Flood Victims
The Federal Government has been called upon to make available more food to flood victims in Rivers State in general and the rural communities in particular.
Traditional ruler and chief of Abi family in Owerewere Community of Abua/Odualko, Chief Tony Muzan Ekpelu who made the call in a telephone interview with our correspondent said what was done in Taraba State among other northern states should also be replicated in Rivers State.
According to Chief Ekpelu, the federal and states governments “pumped massive funds and food in Taraba state and elsewhere” and said it should also be done in the South-South states of the country.
Ekpedu who is also the chairman of Owerewere Council of Chiefs said his community only had 100 bags of maize.
He regretted that since the maize was primarily meant for consumption it was inadequate for a large community reputed to be the second largest in the old Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Chief Ekpelu, retired Assistant Controller of Customs said maize was not even a staple of the People of Abua as a whole, and wondered how effective the maize has helped in checking hunger among the people.
He further opined that the federal government should provide food for the people that would last till June when they were expected to be harvesting what they (farmers) have replanted.
He lamented that the people were suffering so much given that more than 90% of them are agrarian.
On efforts he has made to bee to the alleviation of the suffering of the farmers, the former customs boss a said “I called on the chairman of Abua/Odual local government area, Hon Udi Odum and Hon Betty Apiafi who is representing us at the federal level.
“They both said they don’t have plans that they were waiting on whatever the federal government provides”.
“That is what Udi told me and that is what Betty Apiafi told me” he said.
Corroborating Chief Ekpeluis claims, the paramount ruler of Owerewere Chief T.K.D. Ezikwas said “we wrote to the authorities about the inadequacies of food to the people.
“Although they brought maize and garri but the garri was bad already so nobody ate it” he said.
According to Chief Ezikwas a former management staff of The Tide Newspapers nothing else was brought to Owerewere Community as a post flood relief materials.
As at the time of going to press, efforts to speak with Hon. Apiafi and Hon Udi Odum was not successful.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
