Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, yesterday blamed security challenge for the delay in the procurement, production and distribution process associated with 2022 wet farming in the state.
This is coming on the heels of a plea by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Muhammad Magaji Gettado, for the employment of agriculture professionals in the ministry and the Agriculture Development Programme, ADP.
Gettado said: “The staff strength is greatly depleting at an alarming rate and very soon, the ministry and the ADP will lack capable personnel.”
Governor Inuwa Yahaya, in his speech at the flag-off of sales and distribution of fertilizer for the 2022 farming season at Dukul in Kwami Local Government Area, said it was the doggedness and perseverance of his administration that saved the day for the farmers in the state.
“For the 2022 wet farming season, security issues and other challenges have caused delay in the procurement, production and distribution process associated with this exercise. However, through the doggedness and perseverance of our Ministry of Agriculture, we have been able to overcome these challenges and we are today witnessing the flagging off ceremony of the sale and distribution to enable our farmers obtain this vital commodity at a subsidised rate for the economic growth and wellbeing of our people,” he said.
According to him, in line with the normal practice, fertilizer will be supplied directly to the local governments for onward sale and distribution through the polling units so as to reach the grassroots.
will grant us sufficient rain, blessed farming season and bumper harvest,” said Yahaya.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Muhammad Magaji Gettado while calling for recruitment of more professionals in the ministry, said the state government gave out tractor hire this year for only N30,000 per day against N70,000 charged by private owners while power tillers were hired at N20,000 per week.