Yobe Govt. Distributes Free Agric. Equipment To Farmers
By Muhammad Maitela
Yobe state government on Tuesday in Damaturu commenced the distribution of free ploughs, planters, tillers, irrigation pumps and fertilizer to farmers in Yobe East Senatorial district.
The state government had procured 100 tractors, 300 ox-drawn ploughs, 1,349 hand push planters, 889 hand push plough machines, 4,202 solar powered irrigation water pumps, 5,349 goats, 590 hand push tillers, 72,000 bags of fertilizer, and assorted seeds among others for distribution to farmers across the state.
The distribution of the items will be carried out in three phases in the three Senatorial zones to genuine farmers in all political wards of the state, the spokesman to Governor Mai Mala Buni, Mr Mamman Mohammed, said in a statement.
“A thorough profiling was conducted to ensure that only genuine farmers who are actively engaged in agriculture benefit from the exercise to improve agricultural production for food sufficiency and security,” he added.
It could be recalled that Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, launched the agric empowerment programme recently in Damaturu.
“The Empowerment programme which was initiated and the equipment procured by Yobe state government is aimed at making agriculture attractive, profitable, and economically viable to farmers in the state.
“The state government procured 100 tractors, 300 sets of ox-drawn ploughs, 1,349 hand push planters, 889 hand push plough machines, 4,202 solar powered irrigation water pumps, 5,349 goats, 590 hand push tillers, 72,000 bags of fertilizer, and assorted seeds among others.”
Governor Buni had at the time warned against selling the implements, directing security operatives to arrest anyone caught trying to do so.
“We must have value for our money, the equipment must be used here to guarantee food sufficiency, food security and promote economic prosperity through agriculture,” the governor was quoted as saying.
