TheNewsGuru

Tag: Kebbi State

  • We will deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag – Bagudu

    Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi says the state will work together with farmers and millers under the Federal Government’ Anchor Borrower Programme to deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag.

    The governor gave the assurances Sunday night in Birnin Kebbi at a dinner hosted in honour of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The minister is on a two-day working visit to Kebbi with a team of journalists to showcase and assess the government agricultural revolution.

    Bagudu who commended the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government policy on rice called for more investments by the public and private sector.

    The governor said that the mobilisation of 70,000 farmers and N11 billion spent on the pilot scheme had yielded so much dividends and attracted national and global attention to the state.

    He said in addition to the two major rice milling factories – Labana and Walcot – , there were so many small and medium scale millers springing up in the state.

    Bagudu disclosed that Labana and Walcot rice milling factoriies had N55 billion demand for paddy.

    The governor also disclosed that the Dangote group recently visited him and were concluding plans to set up a rice milling factory in the state.

    He said the partnership between Kebbi and Lagos states on rice value chain that produced the Lake rice had solved the challenge of glut by providing ready made market for farmers.

    The governor, who is the Chairman Presidential Task Force Committee on Rice and Wheat Production noted that the level of investment in the state had proved that agriculture is the easiest sector for diversification

    He said the huge investments had also shown the confidence the investing community had in the Buhari’s administration.

    For his part, the minister appreciated the governor for honouring him and members of his entourage.

    He said Kebbi’s goal is to be a trailblazer in using the Anchor Borrowing Programme to transform the agriculture sector.

    Mohammed said the programme aimed at food production, job creation, income generation and self sufficiency had been a tremendous success the state.

    The minister said he led the media to the state to show to the world that the government agriculture policy is working and yielding results contrary to the claims of naysayers.

    Besides agriculture, the state commissioners gave score cards of the giant strides of the governor in roads, health, infrastructure development, culture and information technology.

     

  • NAFDAC reduces consumption of unwholesome drugs in Kebbi – Coordinator

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has reduced the importation of unwanted, substandard and unwholesome drugs in Kebbi State last year.

    The state Coordinator of the agency, Alhaji Garba Abubakar, made this known this known to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

    Abubakar said that the amount involved had been reduced from N15 million in 2015 to N5 million in 2016.

    He said the reduction was sequel to the high-level surveillance and enforcement of laws against illegal drugs in the state.

    “We are able to achieve this reduction as a result of the increased surveillance, enlightenment campaigns in public places, including markets, shops and distributor offices, and enforcement.

    “We are able to enforce anti-malaria and antibiotic mobile authentication service; we have made sure all drugs are in compliance.

    “’So far only a few anti-malaria and antibiotics are not in compliance and we have mopped them up from the system,” he said.

    Abubakar assured that the surveillance, enforcement and campaigns would be sustained.

    He warned that: “We (NAFDAC) will seize all unwholesome cosmetics, imported fruit juice and other related substances.”

    The coordinator advised the public to always check the expiration dates and NAFDAC registration number of products before consumption.

    He, however, called on animal feeds and drug dealers to register with the agency.

    “Kebbi state is an agrarian state; as a result, we have the director of veterinary medicine.

    “We have given the livestock dealers time to register before we start mopping up the unregistered animal feeds and drugs;

    “Though, we went to all the three senatorial districts last year for enforcement,” he said.

    He commended the state government for its support in protecting the lives of residents.

     

  • Pensioners in Kebbi agree to receive 60% entitlements – Chairman

    Pensioners in Kebbi State have agreed to accept the payment of 60 per cent of their entitlements in line with the proposals by the state government.

    Alhaji Usman Dan-Gwari, the state chairman, Association of Pensioners, spoke with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

    Dan-Gwari said that his members had just concluded a special prayers for divine intervention over delay in the payment of their pension.

    He said that pensioners who had been screened would benefit from the payment, while the subsequent payment would be made for the remaining members after verification.

    The association chairman said that the decision to reject the payment of the pension in phases initially was sequel to the non-conclusion of the verification.

    He urged the state government and its agents to ensure prompt conclusion of the exercise.

    Dan-Gwari said that the Ministry of Finance had commenced payment to those that had been verified, appealing to those that were yet to be paid to remain calm.