YOBE State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, said the improvement in security in the state has granted farmers access to their farmlands for agricultural production.
A press statement by signed by Mamman Mohammed, DG Press and Media Affairs to the governor, stated that the governor stated this on Wednesday at the launch of the 2025 Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme in Damaturu.
According to the governor, over 90 per cent of the state’s population are engaged in crop production, livestock farming or both.
“This becomes necessary for the government to be more committed to developing the sector for our people to migrate from subsistence farming to mechanized agriculture.
“Let me seize this opportunity to once again appreciate His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for piloting the affairs of our great country at this very challenging moment.
“The commitment of your administration to security is no doubt yielding the desired result with our communities having access to their farmlands for increased agricultural productivity,” he said.
The governor commended the security forces for their resilience and sacrifices to restore peace and security in the state.
Governor Buni said the security has generally improved, and provided his government with the opportunity to rebuild the destructions caused by the security challenge.
“I am proud to state with a very high sense of responsibility that our administration has over the years accorded great attention to all the critical sectors including agriculture, education, Healthcare delivery, road construction, water supply, wealth Creation and employment generation to improve the lives of our people.
“This administration has carefully and systematically embarked on an all-inclusive multi-sectorial approach to make our recovery programme successful and beneficial to our people across the 17 local government areas.
“It is gratifying that this administration has prudently and judiciously managed the state resources to address the destructions caused by the protracted security challenge and other decays caused by aging, especially on structures predating the creation of the state, and it is still, a work in progress” Governor Buni declared.
He said his administration took a bold and deliberate step to address the infrastructural challenges facing Damaturu 34 years after becoming a state capital.
“This is to find solutions to the challenges of its growing size, increase in population, increase in the density of traffic flow, controlling the floods, and to curb the incessant menace of traffic accidents at the city center.
“We are committed to addressing these challenges to give Damaturu a befitting face-lift that is in tune with modernity, to make us all proud,” he added.
Governor Buni recalled the gains made in the health sector “the Damaturu Specialist Hospital gained approval from the West African College of Surgeons for training of junior and senior resident Doctors in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
“Similarly, a few months ago, the Department of Community Medicine of the State University Teaching Hospital also gained approval from the West African College of Physicians for training of junior and senior resident doctors. This is in addition to the earlier approval obtained for training in radiology. This means Doctors can be trained up to the level of Consultants at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, and the Specialist Hospital, Damaturu.
“These achievements are indeed, products of careful and strategic planning, dedication and investment of resources in the hospitals to qualify for accreditation. This would no doubt add value to our manpower training and development to improve Healthcare delivery in the state.
“In the education sector, government remained committed to structural development and improvement in the quality content in the schools. The performances of our students both at home and abroad have been unprecedented, justifying our investment in the sector. Education in Yobe state is one of the most subsidized in the country, and yet, it is still a work in progress” he noted.
The Governor charged the people to continue supporting the government policies and programmes “for us to collectively achieve the task of moving our dear state forward. We must not allow any element to stand on our path to development and progress,” he said.
Tinubu Applauds Buni’s Massive Investment In Agriculture
Meanwhile, President Tinubu, at the occasion, commended the Yobe State Government for massively investing in agriculture to guarantee food sufficiency and security in the state.
The president, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, said the Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme was in tune with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal government.
He assured federal government’s partnership to improve agricultural productivity in the state.
Governor Buni had earlier stated that the state government procured 40 Massey Ferguson tractors, 1,961 Power Tillers, 1,250 Hand Push Planters, 553 Multi-Purpose Threshers, 3,410 Solar water pumps, 830 Fertilizer Applicator, 4,500 bags of NPK 20:10:10 Fertilizer and 195 Crop Residue crushers.
Similarly, 495 Crop Residue choppers, 20,000 Assorted improved seeds, Assorted Agro Chemicals, 4,000 Bunch of Cassava Stems, Assorted Certified Seeds, 50 Tricycles and 30 Motorcycles were procured for the programme.
“In line with our policy to promote agricultural development in the state, I hereby direct that, the machines, equipment and other farm implements should be distributed free to deserving farmers. Additionally, I hereby direct a 50% subsidy on the sale of fertilizer to farmers” Gov. Buni announced.
It would be recalled that Yobe state government last year procured and distributed 100 tractors, hand tilling machines, solar-powered irrigation machines, harvesters, threshers, assorted improved seedlings, and fertilizer among others.
