Food security: Yahaya meets Tinubu over Gombe’s agriculture plans

Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to massive investments in agriculture development to enhance food security in the state.

Governor Yahaya disclosed this to journalists at the State House, Abuja, on Friday after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on issues around the economy in the country and its investment in agriculture to shore up food security.

The governor revealed that his recent trip to Morocco was aimed at exploring ways to deepen economic and diplomatic relationships with the Kingdom of Morocco, particularly in agriculture and livestock production.

Noting Morocco’s success in developing livestock and crop production, despite desertification and limited rainfall, Governor Yahaya expressed optimism about implementing similar practices in Gombe State.

He announced partnerships with Moroccan businesses to enhance productivity in livestock and crop production, targeting 1,000 hectares for cassava production this farming season.

With 75-80% of Gombe’s population engaged in agriculture, the governor’s initiative aims to support peasant farmers, reinvigorate cooperative systems, and increase productivity to reduce food scarcity and prices.

He expressed confidence in a good harvest, anticipating a doubling of last year’s production.

“I came to see Mr President as a follow-up to the recent developments in the country, especially on the economy with regards to food security and also with regards to recent developments in the polity.

“Our engagement has been very robust; we touched on all the issues and I am satisfied and convinced that Mr President is ready and has been doing his best and will continue to do his best to deliver on the mandate and see that Nigeria is out of the current situation and has improved and go on to catch up with the rest of the developed world.

“My trip to Morocco was for us to see how we could deepen and widen the economic and diplomatic relationships the Kingdom of Morocco has with Nigeria, particularly with Gombe State, being an agrarian state with 75 to 80percent of our people engaged in either livestock or crop production.

“Morocco being a successful country in Africa that has succeeded in developing both livestock and crop production, we decided to go so that we could see how they are doing it, so that we can come and implement and see that our own state and indeed the whole of Nigeria improves in terms of productivity, with regards to agriculture and animal husbandry.”

Speaking on the state of the Kolmani Integrated Development Project located on the borders of his state and Bauchi, Yahaya expressed frustration.

Yahaya revealed that it was part of the reasons he met with the President, saying, “It is really a very unfortunate development. As you said, close to two years after the foundation-laying for an integrated development project comprising 250 thousand capacity refinery and 350megawatts of power plant and 2000 tons capacity fertiliser plant which was supposed to take-off since, but because I think there are some issues with the NNPC and also the partners that are engaged or developers, those issues really have strangled operation to take off.

“And in fact, it is part of the discussion I had with Mr. President, believing that once he steps in, maybe we will see activities back for the fact that petroleum and gas are under the exclusive list and there is not much we can do.