Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has reiterated his administration’s commitment to developing agriculture in the state.
Zulum stated this on Tuesday, 16 April, 2024, in Maiduguri during the flag-off ceremony of the Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme (RHI-WASP).
RHI-WASP is the initiative of the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to support women engaged in agricultural activities and contribute to the food sufficiency agenda of the President.
Zulum said: “Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, as you are aware, the Borno State Government has given top priority to the development of Agriculture in the state, and that is why concerted efforts are made to mobilise both human and material resources to boost agriculture in the state.”
He added that: “Towards this end, the state government has procured agricultural machinery and inputs such as tractors, chemicals and fertilisers, among others.
Governor Zulum also gave assurance of his continuous assistance to farmers in the state. He said, “This, I believe, will go a long way in enhancing the productivity of our farmers. The government is, therefore, poised to ensure that our farmers are assisted in every way to increase their agricultural productivity.
The first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was represented at the occasion by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, noted that about 220 women farmers and people with disabilities have benefited from the programme; among them, 120 women farmers, 20 from each of the six northeast states received N500,000 each and 100 people with disabilities from Borno State each received N100,000.
She said: “Today, we are supporting twenty (20) women farmers per state in the Northeast zone with the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) each,” adding that: “The draft cheque will be handed over to the first ladies of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe States who are also RHI State Coordinators for onward disbursement to all beneficiaries in their respective states. These farmers are those in the agricultural sector, animal husbandry, poultry and fish farming.”
Earlier in a goodwill message, the wife of Borno State Governor, Dr Falmata Zulum, expressed gratitude to the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for the gesture to support women in agriculture in the northeast and over 100 people with disabilities from Borno State.
The occasion was attended by the Deputy Governor of Borno, Umar Kadafur; wives of the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States; and the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori.
Also in attendance are Senators for Borno North and Central, Muhammed Tahir Monguno and Kaka Shehu Lawan, members of the House of Representatives, Engr Bukar Talba and Dr Zainab Gimba, Deputy Speaker of Borno House of Assembly, Engr Abdullahi Askira, Secretary to the Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani, commissioners and other senior officials of government.
