The Federal government has concluded arrangements for the establishment of agricultural quarantine centre in Jigawa State to facilitate the export of farm produce.
The Deputy Director of Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine centre, North-west zone, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu who stated this when he led a team on a courtesy visit to the state deputy governor, explained that, when the centre commences operation in the next few months it will work closely with farmers, marketers and government to address all the problems hindering the export of hibiscus flower (zoborodo) from the state to Mexico and other parts of the world.
He added that, apart from hibiscus (zoborodo), the center will monitor, advise, assist and inspect all other farm produce for internal consumption and export”.
Responding, the Deputy Governor, Barrister Ibrahim Hassan Hadeji said the state was ready to work and support any agency that indicates interest to support the state to achieve its agricultural policy designed for job creation, self-reliance and poverty eradication.
He noted that besides the warehouse and accommodation provided to the Qurantine center for the establishment of their Laborotry in Maigatari export free zone, Gujungu market and coordinator office in Dutse, the state capital, the state was willing to provide more support for the effective take-off and sustainable operation of the centre in the state pointing out that, it is well known that hibiscus and sesame from Jigawa State is one of the best in the world, and this year about 20,000 zoborodo farmers were expected to be registered into the cooperatives established to promote the production and export of the product in the state.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor has assured that the state Government will continue to assist hibiscus farmers to produce a world class product for export.
Speaking to newsmen after the visit, Barrister Ibrahim said the state Government was doing everything possible to enable the hibiscus farmers get attractive price of their product and also announced that government was committed towards engaging the hibiscus farmers to produce international standard and called on them to form an organisation and register for their benefits.
Social Security: FG Injects N3.6 Billion In Jigawa
The state coordinator of the federal government social security program, Bala Usman Chamo has said that so far, over 3.6 billion has been spent on the implementation of the program in Jigawa State.
Speaking to newsmen on the progress so far made by the four components of the program in the state he said, 3,253 graduates were enrolled in the first batch of N -power program in the state and that from 2016 to date, a total sum of N1.3 billion was paid as their monthly allowances by the federal government and in the second batch of the program, a total number of 8,694 applicants were enrolled, making the total number of N-power beneficiaries in the state to be 11,857 with monthly allowance of N353.6 million.
The coordinator also stated that, for the Household Uplifted Program, which is another component of the federal government social security program, over 36,000 less privileged persons were registered and so far over N989,580,000 was paid as their monthly grant while for the third component, which is Home Grown School Feeding, over 7,000 cocks were recruited and from the commencement of the program to date, the federal government has expended over N1billion in the state.
He explained that, the federal government is feeding primary 1-3 pupils while the state government is feeding primary 4-6 pupils on the flat rate of N45 per pupil pointing out that based on this arrangement, the state is paying N68.5 million monthly for the program.
On the fourth component which is Government Entrepreneur and Empowerment Program (GEEP), he said about 40, 000 people were targeted to benefit from the skills training and loan to enable them start their own businesses or improve on the one they have already started and presently only 15 persons have applied across Jigawa State but noted that, the program has recorded tremendous success in the State.
Malam Bala Usman also commended the State Governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar and state steering committees for the social security program for their financial, technical and moral support which made the implementation of the program in the state successful and that according to him, the state government was spending N702,000 on monthly basis to support the logistics and monitoring of the program implementation at each of the 27 local government areas.