Hunger: FG 'll flag off distribution of 42,000mt of grains next week - Niger Gov

As tempers run high across the country over high cost of food items and hunger, the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, Thursday, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu will flag off distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains in Niger State.

Bago made this known in Abuja when he visited the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari ahead of the flag off of the grain distribution, while fielding questions from journalists on sidelines of his visit.

According to him Niger would be used as pilot State for the North Central for the distribution of the 42,000MT grains next week, however, he did not disclose the date and day it will commence, but added that the grains would be delivered as soon as possible.

He said: "We are here to discuss with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, in respect of the visit of Mr President to Niger State for the commissioning of the mechanisation which Niger State has been able to provide for agriculture and also the issue of palliative from the federal government in time of food distribution from all grains reserves across the country.

He said, Niger State has provided itself as a pilot state in terms of delivering the dividend of democracy in terms of agriculture, and Mr. President, you know, agenda on agriculture and food security, and as such, our sister states are coming on board, but we are leading so the Ministry of Agriculture has given us necessary support and also give us the necessary input.

He said, the distribution process will be transparency l want to assure you  that template is with  National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), but I am sure it is going to cut across a lot of thousands of people. 

"But the State government also in its own effort has acquired over 150 trucks of food to complement what the programme is doing. So that it can reach more people. All grains, rice, millet, Guinea corn, sorghum, soya beans, and amongst others.  

"We will continue to cultivate our farms because our state is agrarian, and we are tired of collecting handouts from any other person."

He also added that, "We are doing a lot of sensitization to educate our farmers and rural dwellers to understand that the only way out of this crisis is to go back agriculture. 

"Agriculture is very vast including animal husbandry, which is one of it and as our culture, and knowing fully that the State has a lot of bodies of water, aquaculture is the next in our line of business."

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, assured that the distribution of the grains would be transparent.

"I assure you it is going to be very transparent. I have seen that robust matrix that has been drawn out.

"So as soon as it is out, we are going to declare to everybody where, what is going to where, and how. So at least those issues will be clearly addressed.

"I know what everybody is worried about is the issue of what has happened in the past. We will set out a template that will be worth the exercise", Kyari assured.

On dry season farming, the Minister said the second phase of the dry-season farming would also commence next week.