- * Says FG’s Palliatives Cannot Be Sustained
By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Niger state governor, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago, has encouraged chairmen of the 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Nigerlites generally to engage in farming for food sufficiency to end hunger and hardship as the federal government’s palliative cannot be sustained.
Governor Bago made the call at the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of farm inputs and improved seedlings for wet season farming, adding that encouraging everyone to go back to farming has become imperative to seek for alternative means of addressing the current socio-economic hardship as he doubts the sustainability of the subsidy palliative.
Bago said it is unfortunate that the prevalent situation where the federal government’s subsidy removal palliative cannot be sustained hence the resolve to encourage everyone, including civil servants to go back to farming to overcome hunger and the prevalent hardship.
Governor Bago told the gathering at the Minna Trade Fair complex over the weekendthat, “I want to use this medium to thank the President for coming to the aid of vulnerable Nigerians. But, to be honest with ourselves, the palliative scheme cannot be sustained.
“We have to go back to the farm to reinforce our economy. In Niger state, we are poised to make Agriculture become the focus of our administration in addressing poverty and food security using the landmass of the state to our advantage”.
Moving forward, Governor Bago said, in realization of the policy thrust of his administration, each of the 25 Local Government Area will cultivate 10, 000 hectare of land and cultivate food that can do well in their respective domain.
“We are planning to cultivate 250 hectare of land in the next cropping season with each local government cultivating crops that they have comparative advantage over others. I want all the local government council officials to take this as a marching order as we will make available 78 metrics tons of fertilizers and other farm inputs”.
While also discouraging youths from waiting for non-existing government paid jobs, Governor Bago said efforts were being made to encourage unemployed youths to key into the Agricultural revolution for to self sustenance and employment creation.
He said, “Youths should go back to the farm and be part of the Agricultural revolution we are starting, to create jobs and be employers of labour instead of waiting for non-existing government paid jobs”. NNL.
