Following plans to encourage youths to embrace farming, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Candidate in Niger state, Honorable Umar Mohammed Bago has empowered 500 farmers across the 25 local government areas of Niger state with farm inputs, implements and cash.
He assured the people that the benefitting farmers were selected from their various associations and not political farmers or brought to him by any politician.
The Gubernatorial candidate who is representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives said that the empowerment is meant to increase the productivity and economic stability of the farmers and the state.
He stated that the move is also to encourage the youths to embrace farming as not everyone can get government employment adding that farming is the new oil that needs to be embraced by all.
Accordingly, he said “It has been a ritual for the last seven years. We have consistently assisted the farmers with inputs and cash to empower them. Although this time is different because it cuts across farmers across the 25 local government areas of Niger state.
“We are also doing this to encourage the youths to embrace farming and we are doing this for the youths across the state.”
He urged the youths not to sell the inputs and implements given to them adding that the N20,000 cash given to them was to assist them with their needs and discouraged them from selling the farm inputs and implements.
Earlier, the Niger state APC Chairman, Alhaji Haliru Jikantoro said that the empowerment is double-edged as it would enhance the economic capacity of the beneficiaries and trickle down the ladder to improve agriculture production in the state.
He applauded the Party’s Gubernatorial Flagbearer for the initiative saying that he is assured that the economy would improve when he emerges as the state Governor in 2023.
“I am glad that he is doing this. This is an indication that he will do more of this gesture to enhance and improve the economic stability of the state and the country after 2023.”
Highpoint was the distribution of 500 sprayers, 500 bags of rice and maize seedlings, 200 pumping machines, 400 sprayers and N10 million cash to the 500 farmers drawn from across the 25 local government areas of the state.
