The Farmer Governor of Niger State, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, has said that the state has the potential for wealth creation through agriculture.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, stated this at the Phase II distribution of agricultural assets, inputs, and work tools to farmers and Labour Intensive Public Workforce (LIPW) beneficiaries held at the Polo Ground, Minna, on Tuesday.
He said that the majority of farmers in Niger State were peasant farmers who, despite that, could hardly feed their families all year round because the economy was biting harder, adding that the state has the potential to turn fortunes around for the better if well harnessed.
"If we can utilise the God-given lands we have, it is not only Niger State we can feed; we can feed Nigeria.
"Whether it is farming crops on the upper land or irrigation farming, we cannot only feed ourselves; rather, we will make Niger State one of the competing states in terms of wealth creation through agriculture," said the governor.
He appealed to all to key into the New Niger Agenda of the present administration in the state to recover our economy and promote the state beyond the shores of North Central and Nigeria.
The governor added that the event was a demonstration of commitment to the New Niger Agenda, which aimed at diversifying the economy of the state and ensuring food security, urging the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items given to them.
The Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Musa Salihu Bawa, who gave a breakdown of the intervention items, said over 10,000 beneficiaries will benefit from the intervention.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items, saying they will be closely monitored by the facilitators at the community level, desk officers, state Fadams N-CARES office, officials from ministries of agriculture, finance, and planning commissions, as well as federal agencies and the World Bank.
Highlights of the event were the presentation of a N100,000 check to about 3,000 beneficiaries of the cash transfer programme, boats, and live jackets to riverine communities by the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA)..