Date: 2010-03-19

The recent farmers' census embarked upon by the Kwara State Government has continued to yield more dividends as the State Government on Wednesday approved the release of the sum of N600Million for the procurement of fertilizer to participate in the 2010 fertilizer subsidy scheme.

The fertilizer subsidy scheme, which would allow farmers to access the product from the National Food Security Agency, was an aftermath of the farmers’ enumeration exercise recently carried out by the State Government.

Briefing newsmen after the State Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Ben Duntoye said the release of the money was to enable the State participate in the fertilizer voucher subsidy scheme, adding that a total of 300,000 bags of fertilizer would be procured with the money .

Similarly, Duntoye also disclosed that Council has equally approved the sum of N79.4 Million for the development of the new GRA along Tanke Road, Ilorin under a Public-Private- Partnership arrangement.

Throwing more light on the fertilizer voucher subsidy scheme, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Professor Mohammed Gana Yisa disclosed that each registered farmer under the pilot scheme is entitled to three bags of fertilizer, adding that provision has been made for a total of 100,000 registered farmers throughout the State.

According to the Commissioner, under the new arrangement, neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor the Local Government Council would be directly involved in the procurement of the product henceforth.     

Fertilizer procurement and distribution, he said, would now be the sole responsibility of an appointed supplier, who will now convey the product to four designated centers in each of the 16 Local Government Areas.

Prof. Yisa explained that only registered farmers in the State would be entitled to the subsidy while other farmers would also get the product at normal price in the open market.

The Commissioner, who disclosed further that the fertilizer voucher subsidy scheme would be flagged off in April, appealed to farmers who were yet to be enumerated to avail themselves of the opportunity as the exercise would close by March ending.

 Speaking further on the development of the new GRA project, the Director General, Bureau of Lands, Barrister Kamaldeen Ajibade disclosed that the project would be handled under a Public- Private- Partnership arrangement (PPP).

Under the PPP, he said the State Government would partner an Abuja-based mortgage firm, Aso Savings and Loans Limited to fast track the project.

The State Government under the partnership agreement, he said, is to own an equity share of about N149Million covering provision of land and surveying while Aso Savings Loans would provide the sum of N1.6 billion covering provision of infrastructure including road, drainages, light and other amenities that would make the new G.R.A different from the previous ones.

He explained that the project would be done in four phases beginning with the first phase (AI), which has a total of 407 plots of land for development.

Ajibade added that proceeds from the new G.R.A project would be shared between the State Government and the developer, Aso Savings and Loans Limited.    

 

Mas’ud Adebimpe
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
19/03/10