Jigawa State don do good tin as Gov. Umar Namadi share N3.3 billion loan for im civil servants under their new program wey dem call Agricultural Support Programme. This one na to help dem civil servants plant food and make them get more money for hand.
Oga Namadi yarn for the launch wey happen for Dutse, the state capital, say the program go help for three main things: make sure people get enough food to chop (food security), help civil servants get more money (economic empowerment), and generally improve their lives.
"While we dey support these civil servants to feed their families and get extra money, this program na part of our bigger plan to improve agriculture for the whole state. We want make Jigawa become food center for the whole country," Oga Namadi yarn.
The Governor come talk say this na the first time wey dem go do this kind thing for the state and na im way to show how much him care about im workers and the whole state. E come yarn again how the loan go help reduce the high cost of food wey dey make life hard for many people.
"The high cost of food don put plenty wahala for people head, especially our civil servants wey their salary no dey change. This na why we dey do this program," Oga Namadi tok.
E come explain say the program go focus on four main crops this season: rice, sorghum, millet, and sesame. The government go give the civil servants things wey dem need to plant the crops (cost inputs) and small small loan wey dem fit use to pay people wey go help them for the farm (labour) and other things.
The loan package for millet, sorghum and sesame na N250,000. This money go cover the cost of things like fertilizer and chemicals. For people wey dey plant rice, the loan na N500,000 and e go cover more fertilizer, chemicals, and some extra cash for other things wey dem go need for the farm.
Oga Namadi come talk say the program go start with over 8,430 civil servants from both state and local government and about 400 public and political office holders. The government plan na to continue this program every planting season.
One of the people wey go collect the loan, Rukayya Abubakar, come yarn say this na the first time wey government do this kind thing for civil servants for the state. She come hail the governor for the program and how e go benefit women.
Another person wey go collect the loan, wey be Director of Management Service for Office of the Head of Civil Service, Ali Sa’adu, come talk say the way dem go repay the loan na why e decide to apply. E come promise say e go use the fertilizer and chemicals well well and pay back the loan as dem talk.
Source: Prime 9ja Online Pidgin: Jigawa Govt Give Civil Servants N3.3bn Agric Loan, “Oya Go Farm Make Food For Cheap”