The Kogi Central District lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, distributed four trucks of fertilisers to farmers on Saturday to ensure food security and promote agriculture in her constituency.
The distribution event, held at her country home in Ihima, Okehi, had in attendance the farmers’ unions from the five local government areas of the district, Ebira farmers’ unions from neighbouring states, the Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), and members of the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo communities in Kogi Central. The four trucks contained 2,400 bags of NPK and Urea fertilisers.
A statement issued by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel, said she encouraged farmers to register under a union in their area to facilitate federal government interventions. She emphasised that accurate data on farmers and their needs can only be obtained through verifiable records.
She disclosed that the federal government brought the intervention to support farmers
.“These fertilisers were given to the good people of Kogi Central by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He thought it wise to support the farmers of Kogi Central and provided us with four trailers.
“I have brought all four trailers down here. We have also devised a means of distribution that will consider farmers who farm in Kogi Central and those who farm in other states. Many Ebira farmers are in Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, and Nasarawa. So, we will allocate a portion of the fertilisers to them, but the more significant part will go to our farmers who cultivate our soil here.
“We have also considered our people who are indigenous to other tribes but are residents here, such as the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo communities. They will all participate in this fertiliser distribution because we understand difficult times and that interventions and palliatives are needed.
“The 2,400 bags of NPK and Urea fertilisers will be distributed today. This is not the only support farmers in Kogi Central will receive. Still, I urge you to register with your various Farmers’ Associations in your local government areas, as we will rely on this data moving forward.
“The farmers’ register is necessary because we need to know the capacity of every farm and what is being planted. We need to identify farmers based on the crops they plant and the size of their farmland, as this will determine the kind of intervention and support they receive,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Muhammed Bashir Yusuf appreciated the gesture and assured the farmers that they would use the fertilisers well.
The Secretary General of the Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), Baba Abdulrazaq, representing the association’s President General, praised Senator Natasha’s unprecedented efforts, adding that democracy is finding its true meaning under her leadership.
“On behalf of the Ebira people, I appreciate Senator Natasha. We couldn’t have expected less from you. The difference in political representation is clear, and I call on other political representatives to follow in her footsteps,” he said.
He urged the farmers to use the fertilisers for their intended purpose and encouraged them to register with their local unions.
He seized the opportunity to appreciate the lawmaker’s developmental strides, including her efforts to make Ajaokuta Steel fully operational. He added that people should ignore the ongoing misinformation about the Ajaokuta Steel investigation.
