Ogun Govt Commissions First-Ever Ultra Modern Farmers’ Market The Ogun State government has commissioned the first-ever ultra modern farmers’ market, known as Agri-Mart at Asero, Abeokuta, the State capital . The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun at the official commissioning of the Agri-Mart said that the objective of the farmers’ market was to bring healthy food closer to the people at affordable prices. Amosun said the government was collaborating with both foreign and local agricultural experts with the aim of impacting their knowledge on the State farmers. He added that his administration was committed to bringing back the lost glory of the sector, explaining that increased agricultural production could lead to job generation, wealth creation, poverty reduction, feeding of the masses and serve as source to finance other social services within the State. “In the days of our fore-fathers, our economy was stable even though there was no oil, their major source of livelihood was farming and we are back to the roots to restore the old glory in the agricultural sector. This State is blessed with fertile land and we are going to continue exploring it,” Amosun said. The Governor said his administration is proposing to replicate the Agri-Mart in the remaining 19 Local Government Areas across the State. He stated that good and motorable roads would be made available in order to enhance transportation of farm produce and enable investors have access to various farm locations and markets. Speaking earlier, the Commissoiner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun said the daily market is made up of 24 open stalls and one main lock-up shop, explaining that the open stall will serve as display for sale of fresh farm produce like fish, egg, fruits, vegetables while the lock-up shop will promote sales of packaged farm products like smoked fish among others. Sokefun reiterated that the newly commissioned market is one of the projects implemented by the present administration to develop the agricultural sector of the State as she recalled the successful implementation of Oja Irorun at Oke-Mosan for the Public Servants. In her goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National School Agricultural Programme (NSAP), Dr. Baraka Sanni said she was happy to associate with an agriculturally developing state like Ogun and assured the people of continuous support of the Federal Government. Earlier, Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ogun State Chapter, Chief Segun Dasaolu expressed profound gratitude on behalf of all farmers to the State government for the fulfilment of its promise in opening a farmers’ market. Dasaolu appealed to the Governor to interact more with the farmers as this would avail them the opportunity to meet with stakeholders in the State agricultural sector. In his remarks, the Secretary of Ogun State League of Federated FADAMA, Mr. Abiodun Oyekan assured the government of continuous farmers’ support and pleaded to create more awareness to the farmers’ market.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 11:30:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015