2024: Yobe overhauls agriculture

The Yobe State government says it has spent about N15.3 billion in providing farm implements and inputs to 5,340 farmers across the 178 wards, reflecting its performance within 2024.

The state governor, Mai Mala Buni disclosed this at an end-of-year press briefing on Thursday, in Damaturu.

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Represented by his deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, the governor said despite the prevailing economic challenges across the country, the administration has prudently managed the scarce resources and turned around the fortunes of Yobe citizens.

“This is by making significant investments in healthcare, education, agriculture, wealth and job creation, and road construction, amongst others,” he said.

He also said the administration has prioritised ongoing projects and made significant progress towards their completion.

The governor noted that critical amongst the success stories of his administration was reaching out to people at the grassroots with direct cash assistance, including micro, small, and medium business owners and the vulnerable.

He explained that the administration had spent over N3.9bn to empower 52,997 households and 201,300 individuals, while 974,220 individuals were reached with food and non-food items support.

He said, in a long term approach to provide food security through agriculture, the governor launched the largest agric empowerment support for farmers in the history of our state, where a sum of N15.3 billion was spent on revitalisation programme that provides farm implements and inputs to 5,340 farmers across the 178 wards of the state.

“The state government is also spending N1.7 billion in the procurement of assorted grains for our strategic grains reserve,” he said.

Gubana noted that the state’s effort in the healthcare service had fetched them $500,000 in the primary healthcare leadership challenge for states in the North-East sub-region.

“To boost the sector, his Excellency implemented 100% payment of hazard allowances and adjustment of CONMESS and CONHESS salary scales, and recruited 311 staff, including doctors, nurses and other cadres.

“He also ensured the continuation of our free dialysis programme for kidney patients,” he said.

He said, apart from the multi billion naira renovation and reconstruction work at the State Specialist Hospital, the state has as of October 2024, enrolled 275,358 people into the contributory healthcare scheme in the state to expand healthcare coverage across the state.

To end the water crisis in the state, the administration awarded a contract for the conversion of 170 motorised boreholes at the ratio of 10 per local government to solar system.

“Others are the drilling of a complete package borehole at several government health institutions and hard to reach locations and the continued construction of the Buni-Gari Water Treatment Plant.

“In the area of wealth creation, a lot was also achieved. These include the procurement of 475 modern sewing and embroidery machines, procurement and distribution of 350 disability tricycles, procurement of 712 nos of cows and bulls to livestock farmers, provision of cash grant of N50, 000 to 3,560 micro and small entrepreneurs across 178 wards of the state, provision of cash support of N20,000 to 4800 unemployed youths, training of 85 youths on shoe making and provision of start-up kits, distribution of 500 units of deep freezers to women in ice-making business, procurement of 1,780 smoking stoves, 1,780 frying pans; 1,780 frying spoons, 1,780 sieving basins and 1,780 bowls, procurement of 100 units of motorcycles and 80 units of pick-up tricycles for distribution to beneficiaries, and the procurement and distribution of 340 work bulls, 170 ox-drawn carts and 170 ox-drawn ploughs, amongst others.” he said.