Kwara legislators go into farming, secure N1.4m loan each

The eighth legislature of the Kwara House of Assembly has established 300 hectares of farmland in Ejidongari, Moro Local Government Area of the state.

The farm which is nongovernmental and profitoriented is owned by the 24 members including the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad.

The initiative of the house focuses on the determination of the present administration in the state to take agriculture as a key driver of the state economy.

The lawmakers cultivated soybeans and maize in line with the Anchor Borrowers programme supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Speaker while speaking with journalists at the farm recently said the visit to the farm was symbolic and a means of showing to the world that agricultural production is the way forward that will take Nigeria out of recession

The Speaker said the lawmakers took the advantage of one billion loan that was accessed by the state government which earmarked N40 million to the House with each members obtaining N1.4million.

The Speaker also charged the electorate to engage the incoming local government chairmen in the 16 local government to invest in mechanised agriculture .

The Chairman House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Ishiaku Aliyu Adams, commended the state government for the opportunity which has made them proud owners of the 300 hectares farmlands.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture Mr Bamidele Adegoke said the farm was a testimony of the sincerity of the present administration in the diversification of the economy into agriculture and food security.