By Abubakar Abdullahi
The Chairperson of Shongom Local Government Area (LGA), Hajiya Fatima Binta-Bello, has expressed her appreciation to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa-Yahaya, and the World Bank for their support through the NG-CARES programme.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the initiative, which aims to enhance agricultural productivity in Gombe State, has benefitted over 295 farmers in Shongom LGA by providing them with critical inputs, including fertilisers, sprayers, herbicides, and insecticides.
Addressing farmers during a distribution ceremony, Binta-Bello hailed Governor Yahaya and his commitment to uplifting local farmers.
She emphasised that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration under the governor is delivering the dividends of democracy to the people, and assured that her administration in Shongom LGA will continue to support such efforts.
She called on the farmers to rally behind government programs at all levels to maximise the benefits provided by these interventions.
In his remarks, the Secretary of Shongom Local Government Council, Malam Saidu Manzo-Filiya, expressed satisfaction with the NG-CARES program and urged farmers not to sell the items they received but to use them to improve their agricultural activities.
He reinforced the importance of the program in empowering local farmers to increase their yields and enhance food security.
The programme coordinator, Malam Ismail Ishaq, represented by Malam Yusuf Sulaiman, highlighted that the initiative is a collaboration between the Gombe State Government and the World Bank.
He reiterated that the support provided to the farmers is completely free, and future phases of the program will include additional items such as goats, chickens, and even computers to further support rural livelihoods.
Mr Yunusa Madi, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of NG-CARES Gombe State, disclosed that Gombe State has already benefited from three phases of the NG-CARES program.
In the first phase, the state received N3 billion, followed by N17 billion in the second phase, and N42 billion in the current phase.
He called on the people of Shongom LGA to cooperate with the program officers during the verification process to ensure accurate data collection and smooth implementation.
He also expressed optimism that Gombe will become the top state in Nigeria in terms of benefiting from the NG-CARES initiative.
Farmers who benefited from the program, including Mr Samaila Dankyau and Mrs Sabina Yakubu, expressed their gratitude to Hajiya Fatima Binta-Bello, Governor Yahaya, and the World Bank for the intervention.
They pledged to make the best use of the inputs provided to boost agricultural productivity in Shongom LGA and beyond, noting that the current administration has demonstrated a genuine commitment to the welfare of the common man.
Our correspondent reports that the NG-CARES programme continues to be a major driver of agricultural development in Gombe State, offering vital resources to farmers and contributing to the state’s economic growth.
