By Sunday Gbegbe
Nigeria’s Senate Minority Whip, Senator Phillip Aduda, representing the FCT, has distributed 2400 bags of fertilizer free to rural farmers across the six Area Councils in Abuja to boost raining season farming activities.
Senator Philip Aduda, who was represented by his Senior Legislative aid, Alhaji Danjuma Kawu, while distributing the fertilizer in Bwari, one of the Area Councils, said the gesture was to assist and encourage rural farmers in the FCT.
He said farming was a major occupation among locals in the territory, hence he decided to give priority to the sector to help address challenges of food shortage in FCT.
Senator Aduda said the distribution of fertilizer was targeted at increasing farmers yield and bumper harvest in order to combat hunger and the current hardship being experienced by peasant farmers across the FCT.
He said that since his election to the National Assembly, he had always ensured that rural farmers across the six area councils in the FCT were given fertilizer to ensure bumper harvests.
Aduda cautioned the beneficiaries not to allow middlemen convince them to sell the fertilizer to them, but endeavour to apply them in their farms.
The chairman of Bwari Area Council of the FCT, Mr John Gabaya, represented by his supervisory Councillor of Agriculture, Mr Abuja Zankayinbonton, added that the support by the FCT Senator would go a long way in adding value to agricultural activities in the FCT.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficial farmers, Chairman of the FCT farmers Association, Bwari Area Council Chapter, Mr Jiko Lobho, appreciated the efforts of the Senator for distributing free fertilizer to rural farmers across the FCT.
He noted that the distribution of the fertilizer will go a long way to boost and enhance a bumper harvest in this year’s farming, even as he urged beneficiaries to ensure they applied the fertilizer in their farms.
Senator Aduda, who donated about 3,600 bags of fertilzer last year across the six area councils, said the donation was free to lessen the burden and encourage farming in the FCT.