No fewer than 200 farmers, traders and artisans have benefitted from the empowerment programme of the lawmaker representing Okene-Ogori Mangongo federal constituency in Kogi State, Hon Yusuf Tijani Damisa.
The programme which was anchored by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in collaboration with milestone Nehub Mega Concept Ltd was aimed at providing farm implements to farmers and working tools to artisans while the petty traders received items.
Speaking during the presentation of the farm implements at a ceremony held at Egbira Muslim Community College Okengwe in Okene local government area of the state, weekend, the representative of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ayinla Oloruntoba, charged the beneficiaries of the programme to make judicious use of the tools given to them.
He appealed to individuals and corporate organisations in the state to assist the farmers by providing funds in form of donations or loans at low interest rate to enhance their productivity.
In his speech at the occasion, Hon Yusuf Tijani Damisa, who is a third- term member of the House of Representatives, said that most of his empowerment programmes are tailored towards skill acquisitions and farming, stressing that such areas of consideration have immense benefit to the beneficiaries.
Damisa, who was represented by Alhaji Mohammed Obongara, disclosed that the farmers were empowered with packaging machines, 20 grinding machines, and other farm implements such as seeds, fertiliser, knapsack sprayers, rain booths and others to assist the farmers.
Mallam Abbas Shuaibu who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the facilitator of the programme Hon Yusuf Tijani Damisa for his kindness and love for his constituency and promised that the beneficiaries would judiciously use items given to them.