Kebbi State Government pays counterpart funds for rural roads upgrade

The Kebbi state government has paid N350m counterpart funds in the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme (RAAMP) for the upgrading of 240km rural access roads in the state.

Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, the Commissioner fo Agriculture and Natural Resources, made this known in Birnin Kebbi on Monday at a weekly press briefing.

Under the RAAMP programme, he said, 240 kilometres of roads were identified for spot improvement, upgrading and routine maintenance.

“So far, contract process for the award of the first phase of roads has been concluded and awarded,” he said.

Mu’azu said that government had procured and distributed free fertilisers to farmers worth N2.6 billion in addition to palliatives of grains worth N5.6b.

“Another developmental activities are Quelea birds control during the wet and dry seasons of 2023, to prevent destruction of millet and rice.

“We also procured 6,000 units of solar-powered irrigation pumps which are currently being distributed to farmers across the state.

“We also granted approval for the procurement of 10,000 units of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for converted irrigation pumps.

Mu’azu also revealed that 39,500 farmers participated in the Federal Government’s dry season production programme involving 30,000 rice farmers, 7,500 maize farmers and 2,000 cassava farmers across the state.

The commissioner said that the state had also launched ‘Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda (KADAGE)’, with partnerships at local, national and international levels for agriculture and agrobusiness investments in the state.