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Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has inaugurated a seven-man committee on supply, quantity, distribution and sale of fertiliser to farmers for 2020 wet season.
Bagudu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Muhammad Suleiman-Argungu, inaugurated the committee in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
Argungu explained that the objective of the inauguration of the committee was to ensure that all the farmers had relevant farming inputs in order to ensure bumper harvest during the wet season in the state.
According to him, ‘Kebbi State has taken its lane in the comity of states and beyond, particularly on agriculture.
‘It is in that regard that the government has held it with high esteem to ensure that all other commodities that are relevant to farming are provided to the teeming farmers in our state.
‘It is in this perspective that the government deemed it expedient to constitute a committee that will go round all our stores where our fertilisers are kept to ensure they are stocked.
‘In the event we don’t have the fertilizer, the government should know so that it will procure more,’ he said.
Argungu added that the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Nigeria had intimated the government with a view to assisting it in buying 1,500 metric tones of fertiliser.
‘This is equivalent to our 25 trucks of trailers and it will be purchased by Albarka fertiliser plant, the state-owned fertiliser producing plant,’ said Argungu.
‘The government will ensure equity in the distribution of the fertilizer and peasant farmers will receive what they require,’ he assured.
The Governor, through his Chief of Staff, urged the committee to ensure they adhere to six terms of references laid down to the committee.
He stated that the references before the committee include: ‘Identify the quantity of fertiliser supplied to the state, quantity of fertiliser sold and remitted, quantity in stock, observe the cash book and any other omnibus.’
The committee, which comprises Alhaji Abubakar Bello as its Chairman and Abubakar Zaki as its Secretary, were given a week to submit their report to the state government. Other members of the committee include Alhaji Abubakar Bunza, Alhaji Alaramma Atiku, Alhaji Musa Argungu, Alhaji Danladi Jandutsi and Alhaji Muhammad Sakaba
In his remarks, committee chairman Alhaji Abubakar Bello assured members that he would deliver on the mandate it was assigned and come up with salient issues that would help farmers to access fertilizer in the state.
