Governor
Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, on Monday, said that the state had the potential
to produce 10million tonnes of rice, the annual demand of the country,
with adequate
financing and availability of modern equipment.
Governor
Ishaku said this in Ardo-kola at a stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP’s delegates
representing Jalingo and Ardo-kola.
He said
areas like: Karim-lamido, Gassol, Ardo-kola, Lau, Ibi, Wukari, Takum, among
others, had fertile lands suitable for growing large quantities of rice.
The governor
noted that lack of sufficient funds had undermined the capacity of the state’s
rice farmers to produce at an optimum level.
Ishaku,
however, said the state government was determined to support farmers in the
state with farm inputs and improved seeds to increase their productivity.
He said that
Dominion Farms, owned by a Kenyan investor in Gassol, had been given six months
to commence buying of paddy rice from out-growers for processing.
The governor
announced that the state government had bought hybrid seeds of Bennie seeds,
soya beans and cassava and it would soon distribute them to its farmers.
“Recently,
there is a high demand of bennie seeds in our markets; though, I do not know
what they are doing with it. We have acquired its improved seed.
“We have
also acquired hybrid seeds of soya beans and of course, cassava, because I will
soon revive our cassava processing plant.
“When that
is done, it will bring the total companies I revived to five out of the 25
companies that were in comatose when I took over,’’ Ishaku said.
The governor
said he was in Ardo-kola to thank the people for massively voting for him in
2015.
“The best
time to appreciate that support is now; since I have won all the post-election
suits instituted by my opponents,’’ he said.
Also
speaking, the state PDP Chairman, Mr Victor Bala, noted that loyalty to party
decisions was critical to the growth of party politics.
Bala urged
council area chapters of the party that could not garner adequate support for
the party in 2015 election, to “sit up’’ as the 2019 general elections were
approaching.
“Politics is
like an investment. If you invest a little, do not expect high dividends at the
end of the day, ‘’ he said. (NAN)
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