Chima Azubuike
Following the flood which devastated Kebbi State, Governor Abubakar Bagudu,
has continued with visits fo farming communities to mobilise and encourage them for expanded food production for dry season cultivation.
The Governor while on visit to Cassava farms in Maiyama local government area, commended youths in the state for diligently engaging in the current agricultural initiative, to massively produce cassava in the state.
Bagudu spoke while on a visit to a cassava farm at Maiyama local government area of the state, as part of the unrelenting efforts of his administration to boost food security.
The farmland that stretches over 10,000 hectares is one of the myriad of farms where cassava was being produced under a robust partnership between Kebbi State Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to a press statement which was made available on Monday, to Periscope Nigeria, through the Governor’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity Yahaya Sarki, Bagudu noted that the development across the state is a good omen to the sustained strides of both the Federal and Kebbi State Governments to boost food production.
He said Kebbi state is among the states that was recently ravaged by a rampaging flood that devastated hundreds of thousands of farmlands, houses, as well as other critical infrastructure, apart from unfortunate loss of lives and properties.
The governor made the remarks after inspection visit to a cassava farm in Maiyama local government. Bagudu expressed delight that youths in Kebbi state have wholeheartedly and patriotically engaged in farming activities.
This, the Kebbi Governor further noted, would contribute to making Nigeria self sufficient in food production, improve their personal lives and boost the economy of the state.
The statement partly stated, “They have restrained themselves from being lured and influenced into violent protests, to cause mayhem and destruction.
” Rather, these our disciplined youths have chosen to make themselves useful to themselves and the state, by massively embracing all the invaluable agricultural programmes of both the Federal and Kebbi State Governments.
” This is a happy development and it cannot come at a better time than now when we are strenously making efforts to uplift the living standard of the people of the state .
” Also, I am elated that,these energetic youths have decided to use their energies on the farms, rather destructive #ENDSARS protests that had lost meaning and focus.”
Bagudu also underscored the importance of the cassava and other food crops programmes towards adding significant value to the National Food Security Programme.
The governor pledged to expand the various programmes, as well as the provision of little rainfall requiring cassava and rice seedlings, inputs and other related implements.
He commended the policy thrust of President Muhammdu Buhari which he described as a motivating factor as well as support from the CBN in order to achieve the desired results for food production in the country.
On his part, Hassan Bala, who is farmer commended the Governor for his sustained commitment to ensure that , the people of the state produce enough food in subsistence and Commercial scale.
The governor while on his way back to Birnin Kebbi also interacted with maize and rice farmers along Jega road and made a stop over at construction site of the NFF/ FIFA stadium project at Bulasa near Birnin Kebbi.
The governor was accompanied on the trip by Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammed Augie and other government officials.
