Kebbi Government to provide Ramadan Relief to masses, free petrol to farmers.
Kebbi State Government has evolved Special Programme for Ramadan Feeding under which foodstuffs and grains would be distributed free to the people.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, announced this at the weekly Ministerial Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, said the gesture was in the spirit of compassion and benevolence of Governor Nasir Idris within the context of the welfarist policy of incumbent administration.
Furthermore, the government has finalised process to supply petrol free to farmers engaged in irrigation farming to lessen the burden of production cost and help them to increase yields.
Enumerating the achievements recorded in the agricultural sector by the present administration, under the leadership of Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, the Commissioner narrated that, Governor Nasir Idris has launched the “Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda, KADAGE”, aimed at improving the production of food and cash crops with emphasis on rice cultivation to strengthen the leading position of Kebbi State as the rice hub of Nigeria.
He informed journalists that the administration has paid counterpart fund to the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme, RAAMP, of three hundred and fifty million naira.
Under the scheme, 240 kilometres of road have been identified for improvement, upgrading and routine maintenance to provide access to farmers to transport farm produce to various destinations.
In addition, thirty thousand farmers in Kebbi State are participating in dry season irrigation farming of the Federal Government in rice production, seven thousand, five hundred farmers in maize production while two thousand farmers are taking part in cassava cultivation.
The Commissioner said the state government would also construct two Agro logistics hub in Argungu Town and in Mahuta, Fakai Local Government.
Already, the Kauran Gwandu led administration has procured and distributed fertiliser worth N2.6 billion to farmers free, distributed palliative grains of N5.6 billion to all communities free, and carried out aerial spray against queala birds destroying rice and millet.
Likewise, distribution is on going to farmers, of six thousand units of solar powered irrigation pumps, three hundred power tillers, three hundred motorised pump sprayer while approval has been made for the purchase of ten thousand units of CNG irrigation pumps and ten thousand units for CNG conversion kits to be provided to farmers to facilitate food security.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmad Birnin Kebbi, coordinated the Press Briefing.
He said the briefing was part of the efforts under the Ministry of Information in collaboration with other Ministries to abreast the society of the myriads of achievements recorded by the Kauran Gwandu-led administration in the State.
