Kaduna State government will, in the next three weeks, distribute 12,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser worth over N10 billion to farmers at no cost to boost agriculture and ensure food security.

Governor Uba Sani disclosed this on Saturday during the State Executive Committee Meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hall, Murtala Square Kaduna.

Mr Sani said agriculture was one of the critical sectors Kaduna was determined to key into because it contributes 42.8 per cent of the state’s GDP.

”As such, in the next three weeks, we are distributing, for free, about 12,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to our teeming farmers.

“Twelve thousand metric tons today is over N10 billion, and in terms of trucks, we are talking of about 500 trucks to be distracted free, not subsidised, and this is all targeted towards reducing poverty in our region,” he said.

Mr Sani recalled that upon his assumption of office about a year ago, rural revitalisation was one of his administration’s cardinal focuses.

He said ”The only way we could do this is by reducing the deficit in terms of infrastructure between the rural and urban local government areas in Kaduna State.

“Today, as we speak, we have done the groundbreaking of about 57 roads in the state, out of which some have been completed and inaugurated.”

The governor said the present administration was reconstructing, rebuilding and equipping at least nine secondary healthcare facilities in the state.

The governor commended the efforts of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, describing them as unprecedented.

(NAN)