Copyright newtelegraphng
…As Commission donates N10m, 185 Hand Fillers, 4,000 Life Jackets To Farmers The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has distributed 850 units of 13-horsepower hand-driven power tillers, relief materials, and life jackets across the states covered by the Commission. While reiterating the government’s commitment when he flagged off the distribution of farm equipment at the N-HYPPADEC Headquarters in Minna, Governor Umaru Bago said the distribution of the items is an indication of the willingness of the Commission to support benefiting communities in the area of food security. He then encouraged farmers to focus on dry season farming by taking advantage of the lower Niger Basin and also engage in pasture production in line with the president’s initiatives on livestock and agriculture in Nigeria. The governor, who reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to continue to support N-HYPPADEC to succeed, promised to provide 160 water pumps to boost agricultural activities. He, however, enjoined the N-HYPPADEC to consider the reticulation of the New Bussa and Bida towns in its 2026 budget. Speaking on the recurring boat mishaps in Niger State, the state governor said, “Lives have been lost, our people must be re-educated, and we must enforce the use of life jackets.” The Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Alh. Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa disclosed that out of the 850 units of 13-horsepower hand-driven power tillers distributed to all the N-HYPPADEC states, Niger State has 165 units. He said other items are 4,000 life jackets, 500 bags of NPK fertilisers, 50 cartons of pesticides, and 100 cartons of herbicides for affected flood communities in Mokwa and other local government areas of the state, in addition to the recently awarded contract for supplies of planters and sprayers for distribution to affected communities in N-HYPPADEC member states. Yelwa emphasised that the distribution of the hand-driven power tillers and other items is yet another practical step in their continuing effort to reduce vulnerability, improve livelihoods, and promote inclusive development. In their separate goodwill messages, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Matthew Ahmed; Estu Nupe and Chairman Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alh. Yahaya Abubakar commended the activities and interventions of the N-HYPPADEC to ensure the safety of lives and to increase food productivity and security in the state, adding that the programme is in line with the vision of the farmer governor, as the state had already provided tractors providing services for the smallholder farmers across the state.
