By Khalid Doya Idris Bauchi
A political dispute between Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar led to a parallel launch of the Irrigate Nigeria Project in Udubo village, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State on Saturday.
The Irrigate Nigeria Project, a key program under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF), aims to enhance food security across Nigeria. Initially, President Bola Tinubu was expected to inaugurate the project, with Minister Tuggar representing him. However, Tuggar's absence led to Governor Bala Mohammed and his team proceeding with the event.
Meanwhile, Minister Tuggar held a separate gathering in another part of the village with some APC members. During his speech, Tuggar accused the Bauchi State government of allocating farmland belonging to smallholder farmers to private companies as loans.
"There is a program for rural farming, rural agriculture, and it's going hand-in-hand with the empowerment of the National Agency for Science, Engineering, and Infrastructure (NASENI) is the core of it," Tuggar said. "Mr. President strongly supports the use of land, in such a manner that it does not adversely affect smallholder farmers."
Tuggar reassured farmers that their land rights would be protected and that the program would support both crop farming and livestock rearing without displacing them. At his event, the minister distributed bags of rice, motorcycles, modern cooking stoves, and other solar-powered products to local residents.
Despite the political differences, the official launch of the Irrigate Nigeria Project continued as planned. Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, expressed delight that the project has come to fruition.
"The objective of the project is to be facilitated all year round by farmers regardless of the availability of rain," Halilu said. "For us at NASENI, this is an ample opportunity to put our technology and innovation into work."
Governor Bala Mohammed, in his keynote address, praised the federal government's agricultural initiatives, acknowledging President Tinubu's commitment to food security.
"The Irrigate Nigeria project is a testament of collective shared vision to transforming Nigeria's infrastructural sector with a powerful engine of economic growth and food security," Mohammed said.
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, reaffirmed the government's commitment to revitalizing the agricultural sector.
"The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria launched the Renewed Hope Agenda for the people, and that is why we are here today to ensure food security for our people," Adedeji said.
Dr. Dahiru Muhammed, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Technology Transfer, explained that the Irrigate Nigeria Project adopts a different approach by integrating public sector resources with private sector expertise, investment, and technological advancements.
"This project stands out by merging public and private sector resources, unlike previous irrigation programs that depended solely on federal government funding and were hindered by inefficiencies," Mohammed said.
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Agriculture