By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Government has taken delivery of 68,087 liters of liquid gel fertilizer from the National Emergency ...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State Government has taken delivery of 68,087 liters of liquid gel fertilizer from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under the National Food Security Council-Emergency Agricultural Intervention (NFSC-EAI). This aid is directed towards farmers affected by the 2018 flood in the state.
Acting Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba received the fertilizer in Minna, with the Director General (DG) of NEMA, Hajiya Zubaida Umar, leading the handover alongside other agency officials.
During the handover, the DG of NEMA explained that the liquid gel fertilizer serves as a replacement for the balance of NPK fertilizer approved for Niger State under the NFSC-EAI, with distribution that commenced in 2020. Represented by the Director of Planning, Research, and Forecasting, Dr. Onimode Bandele, the DG noted that distribution was delayed due to regulatory changes by the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI). These changes terminated the previous contract and initiated a new one, substituting granular powder fertilizer with liquid gel based on recommendations from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The DG of NEMA highlighted that one liter of liquid gel fertilizer is equivalent to 50 kg of NPK 20-10-10 fertilizer. The procurement process began in 2022 and concluded in February 2024. She expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Farmer Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, in promoting agriculture and food security, and she urged timely distribution of the fertilizer to the intended beneficiaries.
In response, Acting Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba described the gesture as a significant boost to the state’s agricultural initiatives, emphasizing that Niger State has no reason to fail in agriculture. He commended the federal government and NEMA’s management for completing the initiative started in 2020.
The Acting Governor assured that the fertilizer would be judiciously distributed to beneficiaries, with the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) maintaining records of farmers affected by the 2018 flood.
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