Sokoto lawmaker, Agricultural Seeds Council collaborate to empower 1000 constituents

A member representing Kebbe/Tambuwal federal constituency, Hon. Bala Kokani of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), has empowered 1000 constituents with 20 million naira cash to improve their farming activities.

According to Hon. Kokani, the shared formula will be across the two local governments areas he is representing. He explained that 500 people each from Kebbe and Tambuwal would benefit from N20,000 cash.

“500 people each from the two sides will benefit with N20,000, and the process will be done after a careful selection by the leaders, but those who do not receive now should exercise patient as more dividends are on the way,” Hon. Kokani said.

He said the support was part of his campaign pledges to provide more intervention to improve socio-economic activities and their standard of living.

Hon. Kokani assured the constituents that more support and programs were coming as they have concluded arrangements to distribute another set of 400 sewing and grinding machines to four hundred women in the two local governments. He added that another set of 100 motorcycles would also be distributed in the coming week.

He, however, noted that he would also share 18 thousand tonnes of fertiliser and over 400 hundred water pumping machines, including insecticides, to farmers in the two local governments. The member urged the beneficiaries to use the gesture towards improving their socio-economic activities and enhancing their living standard.

In his remarks, the representative of NASC, Dr. Enjugu Achukun, said from their previous work in the two local governments, they identified that about 90% of their population as peasant farmers. He noted that Hon. Kokani, in that regard, seeks their collaboration to improve seeds varieties for his constituents, especially the farmers.

He added that the program was the first phase for one thousand beneficiaries, and other subsequent batches will soon follow.

“This distribution of today marks the beginning of the program, as many constituents will be carefully selected for the coming one’s soon,” he stated. The program was part of federal government commitments to improve farming and achieve food sufficiency by 2030.

The NASC representative urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the gesture to improve their agricultural production for the benefit of others, as the program is a long chain value addition. Also, the All Progressive Congress, APC Chairman, Tambuwal, Alhaji Umar Maitafsir, commended the member for supporting his constituents.

Maitafsir said the event marks the sign of good leadership and effective representation by Hon. Kokani. An APC Chieftain in Tambuwal local government, Alhaji Umaru Nagwari, thanked the member for fulfilling his campaign promises. Nagwari assured Hon. Kokani that they will continue to rally their support for him even beyond the 2023 elections.

Suzan O.