Gov. Ahmed Ododo has reaffirmed his commitment to revolutionalise the Kogi livestock sector to boost the economy of the state.
Ododo gave the assurance during an interactive session with 500 women and youths poultry value chain credit support beneficiaries at Government House Lokoja.
The initiative, a World Bank Project under the Kogi Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES), have selected beneficiaries drawn from the 21 local government areas of Kogi.
The governor said the initiative was part the state’s 32-Year Development Plan for Crop and Livestock improvement.
According to him, the L-PRES is a giant stride in Nigeria’s drive towards food security and economic prosperity.
“It aligns seamlessly with our administration’s short, medium and long term plan to make Kogi the epicenter of livestock production in Nigeria.
“We are determined to achieve the Project Development Objectives here in Kogi State,” Ododo said.
Ododo congratulated the 500 beneficiaries of the project, stressing that the selection process was rigorous in accordance with the World Bank standards.
He commended the World Bank, and other partners in Nigeria as well as the Kogi L-PRES Project Management Team for their commitment to launch Kogi into the big league of livestock producers.
Ododo added: “A poultry boom in our dear state will mean serving nine other states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We have the land, favourable climate as well as abundant human and natural resources to drive this project to a desirable success.
“I want to assure the World Bank that we shall continue to inject our projects with great political will and zeal to the benefit of our great people.
“Today, all beneficiaries will get the sum of N100,000 each as logistic support for their various businesses.
“The service providers will be immediately energized to supply all your inputs depending on your selected poultry value chains and capacity building for sustainability.
“As a way for boosting our local economy, we have urged service providers to patronize local vendors of poultry inputs within the state”.
He, therefore urged the beneficiaries to make the best of the golden opportunity to transform the livestock industry in Kogi.
Ododo commended President Bola Tinubu for his undying commitment to the Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
“As a state, we will continue to support his laudable initiatives at making Nigeria great again,” Ododo said.
In their separate remarks, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Timothy Ojomah; and the State Project Coordinator of L-PRESS, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, commended Ododo for fully supporting the project.
The project coordinator said the governor was rewriting the narrative of livestock farming in the State, pointing out that the selection process of the beneficiaries was transparent
Bolarin stressed that the vision of the governor and tireless effort as well as the commitment demonstrated for the project.
He said the Empowerment for women and youth in poultry value chain Credit Scheme was in line with the vision of the present administration
Bolarin explained that the beneficiaries comprised three categories such as producers, processors and marketers in the poultry value-chain.
According to him, broiler producers will get Day Old Chicks (DOCs), feeds, Drugs and Vaccines, while Egg Producers will receive Point of Lay (POL), Feeds and Drugs
He added that Marketers and Processors will get Preservation Equipment such as Deep freezer, Generator set, stabilizer, table size broiler birds and packaging bags.
He pledged the commitment of the L-PRES Project to supporting the beneficiaries towards achieving the dream of enhancing livestock farming in the state.
The project coordinator added that with the scheme, about 500 families have been empowered to make themselves reliant in poultry farming, noting that necessary inputs would be provided for them.
Mr Samuel Mark, a beneficiary, who spoke on behalf of others, thanked the governor for the initiative and for supporting the projects to boost livestock productivity in the state.
Mark, who is a person with disability, commended the governor for considering the PWDs to be part of the L-PRESS beneficiaries. (NAN
