Nasarawa to encourage agro investment
As speaker pledges support for monarchs
The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to encourage and promote Private PublicPartnership (PPP) and investment in agriculture through the provision of an enabling environment.
Gov. Sule stated this during the official commissioning of a dam and electricity project executed by the Nigeria Farmers Group and Cooperative Society (NFGCS) in Ga’ate, Kokona Local Government Area (LGA).
The governor said his administration would evolve policies and take collaborative approaches to woo development partners to the state in order to engender a macroeconomic society through mechanised agriculture and agro-allied industries.
Gov. Sule added that the government would continue to collaborate with development partners, particularly in the area of capacity building for youths, under the Youths Agricultural Empowerment Programme (YAEP).
He further said his administration would continue to train youths in skills acquisition where they would be provided with starter packs to engage in agricultural activities for self-reliance.
While commending the private sector community partnership as demonstrated by NFGCS, the governor assured the management of the farm that, with the 330KVA Akurba Power Substation at 98 percent completion, power supply would no longer be a problem in the area.
He expressed readiness to collaborate further with the farm, particularly in the area of youth training, since the NFGCS made known its intention to establish a skills acquisition centre for youths.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of NFGCS, Mr. Retson Tedheke, disclosed that the farm had embarked on and completed the electricity project linking Ga’ate community to the national grid, stressing that the firm installed 100KVA and 500KVA transformers for Ga’ate and the NFGCS integrated farms respectively.
Mr. Tedheke said the farm produced three to five trailer-loads of Ga’ate Gold Rice that was sold across the country.
He further announced a plan by the farm to establish a skills acquisition training centre for youths in the state, with 50 youths from each across the 13 LGAs
He equally noted that 10,000 farmers had also been empowered with resources for farming and off-taking of produce.
He, however, appealed to the state government to assist the farm in the areas of standing as guarantor for funding opportunities, as well as provision of infrastructure such as road and ensuring security at the facility.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, has pledged support for traditional rulers across the state.
In a statement, the spokesman for the speaker, Jibrin Gwomna, said Gov. Abdullahi also reaffirmed the state assembly’s commitment to supporting the other arms of government for the betterment of people of the state.
Gwomna said the speaker stated this while congratulating the first class traditional ruler of UmaishaOpanda Kingdom, HRH, Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, as he marked 25 years on throne.
He described the traditional ruler as an outstanding chief whose contributions in all aspects of humanity remained endless.
The speaker said, “History has it, and it is on record that the day Ohimege HRH, Alhaji Usman Abdullahi left Jos, Plateau State, to ascend the throne of his ancestors, the people witnessed heavy rainfall. It was a huge blessing on that fateful day as he was received overwhelmingly because everybody loved and cherished him. He is a king we all wanted and he remains a blessing to all of us; indeed he is a father to all.”