By Segun Awofadeji
As part of efforts to boost food production in this year’s farming season, the Bauchi State Government has approved the sum of N1 billion as loan to the state fertilizer company.
Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed disclosed this Friday when he paid a visit to the company in continuation of his project inspection tour across the state.
The governor also said that the state government has settled its backlog of debts amounting to N700 million to the company, as the company supplies fertilizer to all farmers in the state and the North-east.
“With the financial support given to it by the government, the company could extend the supply to other parts of the north, considering the fact that 99 per cent of the population of Bauchi State are farmers and only one per cent are civil servants.
“Almost all the federal allocations we collect monthly amounting to N6 billion or N7 billion are expended on salaries. We therefore feel that we must boost agriculture and support our farmers who produce food for us,” he said
He urged the management of the company to reciprocate the gesture by making good use of the funds and improving the supply of the product to farmers.
In his remarks, the chairman of the company, Alhaji Bappa Aliyu Misau, expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture, saying the money would boost the company’s production and profits.
He also called on farmers to take advantage of the various federal government interventions on agriculture and boost their farm produce and improve the socio-economic development in the state.
