The Niger government says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will monitor the sales and distribution of fertilisers in the state.

Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger disclosed this on Monday while inaugurating the 2023 wet season fertilisers sales/distribution and sales of other inputs to farmers in Minna.

“The EFCC and ICPC will monitor the sales and distribution of fertilisers in Niger State this year.

“Each farmer is expected to purchase 10 bags of fertilisers. Any farmer caught with more than 10 bags of fertilisers should have himself to blame,” the governor said.

According to him, this is to ensure that the targeted smallholder farmers get the inputs.

He said that 60,000 bags of the fertilisers would be distributed to government’s stores in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state for sale and distribution to farmers in the areas.

He added that 150,000 bags of the commodity would be sold and distributed to farmers in the 2024 farming season in the state.

The governor said his administration was planning to procure 300 tractors, adding that out of the figure, each of the 25 local governments would get 10 tractors.

He also said that government was planning to cultivate 100 hectares of land across the state next year.

Also, Idris Gbogan, permanent secretary in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that government subsidised the NPK and Urea fertilisers by 20 per cent.

Mr Gbogan said that governor’s approval of 100 trucks of fertilisers to be sold at 20 per cent subsidy on each bag of 50kg was commendable.

“This will enable our resource-constraint-farmers have access to this commodity.

“Today, a bag of NPK fertilisers is sold between N24,000 and N30,000 in the open market, but with the subsidy approved by your government, a 50kg of fertiliser will be sold at N18,000 only throughout our designated stores across the state.’’

Mr Gbogan said that three monitoring teams had been put in place to monitor the exercise.

He said that the teams included the ministry of agriculture and rural development, local governments, Niger State agricultural and mechanisation development authority (NAMDA), All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and head of farmers.

In his remarks, state chairman, AFAN, Shehu Galadima, who thanked government for the gesture, said that it would reduce the price of fertilisers.

Mr Galadima appealed to government to resuscitate moribund irrigation facilities across the state, saying that out of 18 facilities, only five were functioning.

According to him, if these moribund irrigation facilities are resuscitated, they would enable farmers produce more food to ensure food security.

The AFAN chairman expressed optimism that there would be bumper harvest this year in the state.

He appealed to the state government to collaborate with neighbouring states to tackle security challenges, especially in the forest areas, to enable farmers utilise the arable lands for cultivation.

Also speaking, Emir of Minna, Farouk Bahago, who also described himself as a farmer, thanked the state government for providing farmers fertilisers and other inputs.

According to him, this comes at the right time when farmers are engaged in cultivation.

Bahago appealed to government to support farmers in the state with more subsidies and inputs to enable them produce more food.

(NAN)