The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the distribution of agricultural farm inputs to 21,794 farmers affected by the 2020 floods in Sokoto state.
The Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib, stated that the items were approved for distribution by President Muhammadu Buhari, under the Federal Government’s Emergency Agricultural Interventions Fund (EAIs) to the 2020 flood disaster victims.
Habib, who disclosed this at the launch of the distribution on Wednesday, in Dange Shuni local government area of the state, noted that the direct distribution exercise was for the affected farmers in 17 local government areas in the state.
Represented by the Head, Search and Rescue Unit, NEMA Operations Office Sokoto, Malam Aminu Ambursa, the NEMA chief executive, said officials were divided into teams to immediately commence the distribution of the agricultural inputs.
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He identified the areas to be covered in the exercise to include Bodinga, Binji, Dange-Shuni, Ilella, Isa, Gada, Goronyo Gwadabawa, Kebbe, and Rabah. Others are Sabon Birni, Shagari, Silame, Tambuwal, Tureta, Wurno and Wamakko local government areas in the state.
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Ambursa explained that he would serve as the supervisor of the teams comprising NEMA officials, with support from extension workers, SEMA, security personnel and other critical stakeholders in emergency and humanitarian response, to conduct the exercise.
He explained that the materials earmarked for distribution by NEMA under the intervention, included Water Pumps, Rice, Maize and Groundnut Seeds, Sprayers, Growth Enhancers, Pesticides and Herbicides.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Sokoto state governor on Disaster Management, Alhaji Zubairu Albadau, enjoined the beneficiaries to ensure effective utilisation of the inputs, to increase their production, warning against diversion of the commodities.
Albadau commended the Federal Government for the support, saying that it would encourage agricultural productivity in the state.
Some of the beneficiaries, Shehu Bello, Aminu Ilyasu and Yusha’u Abdullahi, thanked the Federal Government for the gesture and promised to use the inputs judiciously.
The beneficiaries described the gesture as commendable as it would assist them to recover what they lost to the flood disaster and prayed to God against future occurrences.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries at the event included local governments’ delegated authorities, traditional and community leaders and representatives of farmer groups from the affected areas. (NAN)
