Civil Servants to participate in wet season rice production programme

Abdul Mohammed Isa,       Minna

Niger state government in north central Nigeria has registered 6000 Civil servants in the State for the  CBN Rice intervention scheme programme .

The programme according to the state government is to encourage  civil servants in agricultural participation and to  boost the state’s  internally generated revenue .

The Governor of the state Abubakar Sani Bello who flagged  off  the wet season farming for the State Civil Servants organized by Rice farmers association of Nigeria, in Minna the State Capital, assured that the scheme will go along way towards enhancing the welfare of Civil Servants in the State.

“I will engage the CBN to increase the number in the next farming season as the state has  the capacity to cultivate enough rice to feed the nation

The Niger State Head of service Hajiya Salamatu Abubakar,who further  said the initiative is a social intervention to boost food security in the State and the country,  said that 2,000 and 4,000 civil servants both at the state and local government level have already expressed interest in the programme with about 300 being captured already for the take-off of the scheme.

Hajia Salamatu who however assured the Governor for proper monitoring of the programme , pointed out that farming is one legitimate activity a civil servant can do while still in service.

The Coordinator of the Niger State Chapter of Rice farmers association of Nigeria RIFAN, Alhaji Idris Usman Makaranta, Who mentioned that the Central Bank will make funds available to mop up excess rice after the harvest from the farmers, said at the end of the farming season the benefited Civil servants are expected to harvest 60 bags and are also to repay the loan with 8-10 bags.