By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – Ahead of this year’s farming season, farmers in the Plateau South Senatorial zone have been empowered to improve their trade and get high yields.
Senator representing the zone in the National Assembly, Professor Nora Dadu’ut who distributed agricultural equipment to over 600 constituents says the gesture is to alleviate the stress they go through while plying their trade.
She gave out 16 power tillers, two water pumps, 442 automatic knapsack sprayers as well as some SDGs special intervention items which included 14 grinding machines, 13 sewing machines, 17 motorcycles, and five tricycles, with a call on beneficiaries not to sell the items but make good use of them to create wealth.
Distributing the items at the weekend at Shendam, the zonal headquarters, she noted that her constituency is agro-based and her priority is to see the zone improve on its farming activities and feed the nation.
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According to her, “As you are aware in my manifesto, I pledged to focus on the priority areas of agriculture, education, women/youths empowerment, health/human capital development in line with my commitment to deliver on the dividends of democracy to the good people of my constituency.
“I have been able to attract more projects/programmes and we are distributing agricultural equipment and SDG special intervention items. I strongly advise all the beneficiaries to put these items to proper use to better their lives.
“…I desire to add value to the livelihood of the people and communities of the Southern Senatorial District…, I acknowledge that I cannot meet the yearnings of all. However, I am doing my best to reach as many as I can within the short period of my tenure.
“I call on all my constituents to support and uphold the agenda of the ruling APC governments at the State and federal levels…”
Meanwhile, Mrs. Regina Lalong, the wife of the State Governor, represented at the event by the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Rebecca Sambo, commended Professor Dadu’ut for the gesture.
She urged the beneficiaries to “use the equipment judiciously and poverty will be out of your way,” stressing, “we cannot succeed without agriculture, if we fold our hands and not go to the farm, hunger will ravage the land.”
She maintained, “Plateau is known for agriculture, this equipment will help us to cultivate the land not just for consumption but for commercial purposes so that the economy of the State can improve.”
