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Showing posts with label Governor of Katsina State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governor of Katsina State. Show all posts

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Gov Shema urges govt to focus on agriculture

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema has added his voice to the clarion call by well-meaning Nigerians on federal, state and local governments to make agricultural development their focal point.

Governor Shema made this call while speaking at the opening ceremony of LAKAJA Agricultural Growth Corridor Investment Summit in Abuja, stressing that “the USAID summit was absolutely important because it offers a unique opportunity for citizens to expand their potentials in agricultural development and to have clear access to market.”

Shema explained that agriculture is the way forward not only for northern Nigeria but for the entire country because the nation’s soil is fertile that could grow seeds from the first day of January to the last day in December.

On agricultural development in Katsina State, the Governor said his state was working hard and had revived irrigation schemes, asserting “we have a Shanghai-Katsina Initiative, we are working in Niger Porto-novo where we have a 3.4 billion initiative going on training young farmers on modern ways of farming and we are supporting agriculture to be turned around, mechanised with improved variety of seedlings and other varieties of essential services important to farmers.”

He said that as part of the preparation against the 2013 flood warnings, the state government has cleared the waterways and also put up standby emergency teams who will move in to assist in any ravaged area.

 “Those villages that are very close to major waterways or river tributaries were the ones most affected by last year’s flood, but we are working hard to sensitise the people to make sure that their homes are moved away from the flood prone areas and then we are giving assistance, shelter, health facilities and others,” Shema said.

On his part, the Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said that his adminstration was committed to supporting initiatives that would transform the state agriculture sector, stressing that Niger State stands as a hub in the corridor because it has greater advantage in landmass, three major hydro-electric power stations and route linkages to the South-West of Nigeria

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