Ebonyi govt. to distribute tractors, 13,000 bags of fertilizer to farmers

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State government led by governor Francis Nwifuru has procured 15 brand new tractors and 13,000 bags of fertilizers to enable farmers boost their productivity.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Nkechinyere Iyioku who disclosed this to the members of Correspondents’Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) who paid her courtesy visit, said the government is ready to assist farmers in the state to ensure food sufficiency.

She noted that the tractors and the 13,000 bags of fertilizers will be distributed to the farmers after the flag off next week.

Iyioku opined that 98% of people in the state are farmers and that the government was making sure that the state compete favorably with some states of the federation in Agriculture, especially the Northern states.

“Fertilizer this time around is very expensive but I have to thank His Excellency the Governor. The Governor doesn’t joke with anything about Agriculture. He still approved the same 13,000 bags we distributed to farmers last year.

” Most of the farmers are complaining about land preparation, that preparing land is mainly their major problem they are having.

“I said okay, before the wet season which is the season we are now, we will be able to buy the equipment that they will be using to prepare most of their lands.

” To the glory of God, we will be flagging off our 15 tractors that the Governor procured for the farmers. After the flag off, we will give it to them so that it will help them to prepare their lands”, she stated.

Iyioku, a former local government Chairman of Ohaozara LGA, said the state poultry farm which was dead for many years, have been revived and is now 90% completed.

“By 1st week of June, we will be putting livestock in the poultry farm and we cannot be buying feed outside. So, His Excellency has also approved the construction of Ebonyi feed mill.

“It’s going to be massive. We will be feeding our livestock and also be empowering our people and most importantly, make IGR for the state and employ our people”, she stated.