Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Thursday received a delegation from the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) led by the Executive Secretary Prince Paul Ikonne.

The team was in the state to assess the land made available by the Kogi State Government for the Federal Government’s Cluster Agricultural Settlement Scheme.

The team was led by the Chief of Staff, Abdulkareem Jamiu to inspect the designated land while discussions were intimated on the proposed outcome of the project.

Abdulkareem Jamiu in the company of the Chairman of Ajaokuta Local Government Area, Mustapha Akaaba acknowledged his boss’s unwavering commitment towards ensuring food security not only in Kogi State but also in the entire country.

“The project, when completed, will employ over 3,000 youths in crop farming and animal husbandry.  Due to the strategic position of the state in the country, an agricultural market will be built and this will go a long way to settle the unending and the unfortunate crisis among Northern farmers selling their produce in the South, as the market will produce an  environment conducive to farmers and traders to converge and do business,” he said.

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He further stated that the influence of Governor Yahaya Bello has led to the project receiving the blessings of Mr President as workers would be mobilised to site as soon as possible.

He appreciated the NALDA team on their assessment visit and promised that all hands would be on deck for the speedy actualisation of the project.

The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Ikonne commended the Kogi State Government for its timeliness and zeal towards the accomplishment of the Cluster Agricultural Settlement Scheme, even as he assured the state government of NALDA’s support to help the project come to fruition.

He also guaranteed that NALDA would provide the state government with available resources to harness this agricultural “goldmine” through the provision of adequate professional and material support.

He further urged the state government to get the data of unemployed youths willing to try their hands on agriculture as they would be involved from the initial state to the completion of the project.