Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Friday, assured enhanced federal government support for Nasarawa State’s agricultural programmes.

Mr Shettima gave the assurance while inaugurating the distribution of tractors, Jangwa paddy to the 13 local government chairmen, and relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

The paddy distributed was part of the harvest from the state-owned rice farm in Jangwa, an initiative aligned with the federal government’s food security programme.

The event also featured the graduation of over 1,000 trained technicians from the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute in Lafia.

Mt Shettima emphasised that empowering residents with tractors and other agricultural tools was crucial for the country to achieve progress in agriculture.

He stated, “Agriculture is all about increased yield, and without mechanisation and modern agricultural practices, achieving higher yields will remain elusive.”

The vice-president described Nasarawa as the agricultural powerhouse of the nation, noting that, beyond being the home of solid minerals, the state had the potential to feed the entire nation.

“The federal government, under the able leadership of President Bola Tinubu, will continue to render whatever support is necessary to see that this nation gets out of the woods.

“And luckily, we have crossed the rubicon and are on a path to sustained growth. I believe the worst is over.

“The economy is picking up, and by the grace of God, we are going to record a bumper harvest in the upcoming agricultural season,” Mr Shettima said.

He commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa for his exemplary leadership and accomplishments in agriculture.

“The people of Nasarawa State will not appreciate this man (Gov. Sule) until he is no longer on the seat,” Mr Shettima remarked.

He added that the ongoing reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu’s administration would create employment opportunities for the youth and provide greater opportunities across various sectors of the economy.

“The danger of paying lip service to technical and vocational skills acquisition is one none of us is prepared to experience.

“The examples of various low- and middle-income countries, especially the Asian Tigers, are there to inspire the direction of our National Development Plans and push our economic drive towards a destination we all desire – a place of boom.

“This is why His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, has championed economic reforms beyond the usual cosmetic fixes to lay the groundwork for greater opportunities ahead,” Mr Shettima said.

Earlier, Mr. Sule stated that the skills programme of the state’s Vocational and Technology Institute was designed to address the skills gap in critical sectors and empower young Nigerians.

He expressed gratitude to Mt Shettima for visiting the state and supporting its contributions to economic transformation and youth empowerment.

Former Plateau Governor, Sen. Simon Lalong, praised the courage and efforts of the Nasarawa government in improving the lives of young Nigerians through vocational training.

Similarly, His Lordship Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, lauded the Nasarawa government for addressing poverty through skills acquisition and economic empowerment.

Daniel Ewuga, executive diirector of the institute, noted that the 1,000 graduands of the 2024 programme underwent rigorous training and acquired skills relevant to the contemporary challenges of their communities and the state at large.

(NAN)