Distribution of 42,000 tonnes of grains from the National Strategic Reserve

ALHAMDULILLAH

It is with great pleasure and gratitude to Allah (SWT) that I stand before you to deliver this address at this important occasion, the official flag-off of the distribution of 42,000MT of assorted food items from the National Strategic Reserve to vulnerable Nigerians across the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.

The landmark achievements we are witnessing today will forever remain indelible in the hearts of the people of Katsina. We are indeed most grateful to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and indeed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for this gesture. I therefore wish to reiterate the commitment of Katsina State Government in ensuring that the food item will be judiciously distributed to the target beneficiaries from across the State.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as I have cause to mention at various for a and as the experience and result of our efforts have shown since inception to date that by the will of Allah (SWT) and with the consent of the majority of the people Katsina State that we have been in position of leadership, my view of governance is about rendering service; service to the people that entrusted you with their mandate.

We are all aware that food security and nutrition across the Nigeria is deeply concerning with our children being the most vulnerable to food insecurity, thus the need for all the stakeholders to act in order to restore the livelihood of our people.

Our first intervention to address the food insecurity was the development of agriculture through redesigning of extension services by expanding the number of Extension Workers from 72 to over 700 as well as provision of 722 motorcycles and 722 Knapsack Sprayers to farmers from across the 34 Local Government Areas of the State at the cost of about N480Million.

Recently, the State Government expended about N21.6Billion for the procurement and distribution of 20,000 metric tons of NPK 20:10:10, 15:15:15 and Urea Fertilizer for the 2024 Wet Season Farming including cost of transportation and distribution of fertilizers to points of sales. We spent about Two Billion Naira to support Irrigation Farming in this year’s dry season farming and the sum of N300Million on Small Earth Dams projects.

Currently, we are collaborating with various Agencies to source fund for agricultural development with a view to increase productivity, value addition, and mechanization.

Be assured that the present administration under my able leadership will continue working hard to improve food production in our dear and to partner with development partners and farmers associations to enable farmers to have access to improved farming techniques which will enhance surplus production for industries and for export.

I wish all of you safe trip back to your respective destinations. May Allah bless Katsina State in particular and the Federal Government of Nigeria in general.

Thank you and God bless.