By Abdul Kareem

A member of the Federal House of Representatives from Jere Federal Constituency of Borno State, Engineer Ahmed Satomi has distributed grants totaling N141 million to small-scale farmers, as a deliberate strategy to bolster commercial agriculture and food production in his constituency.

The initiative, which took place on Wednesday, March 13, is expected to empower 113 beneficiaries, enhancing their economic self-reliance and creating job opportunities.

The state governor, Babagana Zulum, who oversaw the ceremony at the Government House Maiduguri, praised the scheme.

Honorable Satomi

“I commend Honorable Satomi for this unique empowerment scheme to members of his constituency,” said Governor Zulum.

“This gesture targets boosting agriculture and food security, and enables the beneficiaries to become economically self-reliant, also creating jobs for the people.”

Honorable Satomi, serving his second term as a House of Reps member, explained the motivation behind the grants in an interview.

“This is initiated as a result of my interest in agriculture and its impact on my life even as a public office holder. With the economy of Nigeria and the challenges we face today, agriculture is the only solution for the common man,” he stated.

Beneficiaries of the Satomi support during the event in Maiduguri

With the security improvement, thanks to the efforts of Governor Zulum, Satomi’s own Satomi Integrated Farms has launched various agricultural projects.

“We support cattle fattening trade, and poultry for women with a million naira each for 91 people, and a cluster of 22 women receives a total of 12 million naira to farm goats and sheep,” Satomi explained.

The lawmaker highlighted that, despite past security issues, there is optimism for the success of these agricultural ventures.

“In Borno state, there are markets where they can purchase cattle at lower prices, fatten them over a period, and then sell them for a profit. We have provided training, and I am confident that if they use the funds per their training, they will be able to create job opportunities for others by next year. To succeed, they should view agriculture not only as a passion but also as a business venture,” he said.

Constituents of Jere Fed Constituency

The ceremony included the symbolic presentation of cheques and cash to group leaders and selected beneficiaries.

One of the beneficiaries, Hadiza Mohammed, expressed her gratitude, noting that the N1 million cash would enable her to realize her ambitions in animal husbandry.

Various speakers, comprising the All Peoples Congress, APC’s deputy national chairman -North, Honorable Ali Dalori, the state party chairman, Hon. Bello Ayuba, the House of Assembly member and chairperson of Jere local government area, all hailed Satomi’s unending support for the constituents and supporters of APC in various forms of palliative.

This substantial financial boost from Honorable Satomi is set to pave the way for a revitalized agricultural sector in Jere, potentially setting an example for similar initiatives across Nigeria.