BENUE GOVT TO PURCHASE 250 TRUCKS OF FERTILIZER FRO FARMERS.

The Benue State Government will purchase of 250 trucks of assorted fertilizer for this year’s cropping season at the cost of N385.5 million.


This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Lawrence Onoja Jnr after  the State Executive Council meeting presided over by its Chairman, Governor Samuel Ortom at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

The fertilizer will be sold to farmers at rates highly subsidized by the Ortom administration.

Council also approved the purchase of 60 tractors as first tranche for the State Ministry of Agriculture which would be sold to interested individuals and groups such as cooperative societies, to boost the agriculture sector.

It also approved the award of contract for additional works on the 20 kilometer Abuku-Jingir-Tyogbenda-Wombo-Ugah-Iortsor road under construction in Buruku Local Government Area of the state.

The contract which is valued at N1.3 billion covers the construction of the bridges initially omitted in the bill of quantities.

The State Executive Council also approved the payment of claims owed contract Staff of Benue Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, between June 2014 and June 2016. BY benue.com.ng

BENUE GOVT TO BUY OFF GRAINS FROM FARMERS.

The Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) is to spend more than N500 million to mop up grains from farmers to enhance value for money during post harvests sales.


Mr Alfred Adem, the General Manager Investments, Risk and Assets Management, said the State Government would want farmers to gain both in sales of produce and during harvest.


Adem, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said the option would encourage food security and standardisation of food prices.


“After harvest, middlemen usually come to purchase all farmers’ produce at cheaper rates, leaving the state with no food or money worth what was spent on planting the crops,’’ he said.


The manger explained that the government intervention plan was to assist farmers against post harvest loss where issues of transporting produce and proper storage was a challenge.


“The first strategy will be the use of licensed buying agents to get the grains for us, the
farmers and traders are familiar with these agents, and this will make it easier for us.


“The second is the BIPC’s designated warehouses, we will advertise to the public to bring their produce for direct sales.


“We will evaluate for quality and specification, then we will weigh and buy them off from the farmers,’’ he said.


Adem said there were various warehouses in Markurdi, Gboko Aliade, Ihugh, Naka, Wannune and Otukpo with other small collection centres across the state.


According to him, the warehouse in Makurdi can store 35,000 bags of grains; the storage facilities are well inspected during constructions to suit the storage of grains.


He said the company intended to sell grains during the planting season at subsidised rates to farmers too.


Adem said the company was a profit making organisation that aimed at exporting services. By benue.com.ng.

BENUE TO BEGIN YAM FLOUR PROCESSING AS ORTOM WOOS SOUTH AFRICAN INVESTORS.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says the processing of yam flour is one of the key components of the agriculture value chain soon to commence in the state.

Governor Ortom stated this today in Cape Town, South Africa, at the ongoing economic programme hosted by AidTrade Foundation.

He said Benue as the Food Basket of Nigeria produces yams in quantities that could feed many African countries, saying that processing of the commodity would also generate thousands of jobs for the people.


The Governor stated that the decision by the State Government to establish a commodity marketing board and the ongoing construction of warehouses across the state would prevent post-harvest losses yearly experienced by Benue farmers.

Governor Ortom said the present government of Benue State has matched words with action through the prompt payment of counterpart funds for different development projects in collaboration with international organizations.


Earlier, some investors at the first session of the forum hosted by the Head, International Trade – Africa, Mr Michael Gamwo, commended the determination and focus of Governor Ortom in diversifying the economy and expressed willingness to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the economy of the state.



They said Benue holds the potential to feed the continent of Africa through various agriculture produce, giving assurance that the public-private initiatives of the Ortom administration would yield positive results.


Those who spoke at the event included a representative of the Western Cape Government, Roderick Thyssen, Chief Executive Officer of Agri All Africa, Dirk Hanekom, a team of top officials of AidTrade Foundation led by Kriek Bekker and a market research analyst, Ruby Swigelaar of WESGRO.


Governor Ortom was accompanied to the economic forum by four members of the State Executive Council who are with him on the trip to South Africa. By benue.com.ng.

BENUE RELEASES N383M FOR IFAD-RICE, CASSAVA, FADAMA 111 PROJECTS.

Benue State government has released the sum of N166 million being outstanding arrears of the counterpart funds for the IFAD Rice and Cassava Value Chain Development Programme, leading to the smooth takeoff and implementation of the programme in the state.


The sum of N217 million, which was also outstanding arrears of counterpart funding for the smooth takeoff and implementation of Fadama 111 Additional Financing Development Project has also been released.


These were disclosed by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, James Ambua, during ministerial press briefing at the NUJ House, Makurdi, yesterday.


The commissioner further disclosed that the cumulative impact of the project on Benue farmers had led to the improvement of yield in the rice and cassava enterprises from 1.2 MTS and 13 MTS prior to the takeoff of the project to 3.5 MTS and 25 MTS per hectare for rice and cassava respectively in the 2016 cropping season.


He revealed that the state in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a foreign investor for the establishment of a bio-fuel plant in Agasha, Guma Local Government Area.

The project, he said, would also involve the establishment of sugar cane and cassava plantations for the provision of raw materials needed by the plant, stressing that plans were at advance stage for the takeoff of the project.


The commissioner also stated that Benue State Swine/Crops Integrated Project which is the first of its kind in West Africa, had produced more than 800 piglets which had been sold to farmers across the country as parent stocks to establish their farms. He said the programme had aided the establishment of more than fifty farms with exotic breeds within and outside Benue State. By Benue.Com.Nig

ORTOM INCREASES BOUNTY ON EX-AMNESTY BOSS, GANA TO N10 MILLION.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has announced a N10 million reward for anyone who volunteers information leading to the arrest of ex-amnesty boss, Terwase Akwaza also known as Gana.

He disclosed this today at the burial of Mama Kwaghnzuul Naikyo Degarr who was also the mother-in-law to Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor at Tse-Degarr in Mbajir, Shitile, Katsina-Ala local Government Area.

Governor Ortom explained that the upward review of the reward from the earlier N5 million to N10 million would be formalized at the next State Security Council meeting.

He restated the resolve of his administration to expose criminals and advised the people against shielding hoodlums in their midst.

The Governor said those with useful security information should contact relevant authorities and gave assurance that such informants would be protected.

Speaking, Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ijohor who recalled the challenges before the Governor in repositioning the state, stressed the need for the people particularly the clergy to sustain prayers for him to take the state to the next level.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN thanked the Governor and all who stood behind them to accord his mother-in-law, a befitting burial, praying God to reward them abundantly.

Earlier in a sermon, Reverend Father Benjamin Vesue, urged Christians to emulate the teachings of Christ by loving and caring for one another as well as being generous to others and called on people of the state to always find good reasons to identify with their leaders instead of castigating them.

In separate comments, the Ter Katsina Ala, Chief Fezanga Wombo, and the State Assembly member for Katsina-Ala, Hon. Iana Jato commended Governor Ortom for what his administration is doing for Sankera people in various spheres of development and appealed for more. By Benue.Com.Ng