Delta to spend N1.6bn on agricultural sector in 2014

Delta State government has proposed N1.6 billion for agricultural sector in the 2014 fiscal year.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan made the disclosure at the presentation of the 2014 budget proposal of N391.51 billion to the Delta State House of Assembly in Asaba, the state capital, for approval and consideration.

Uduaghan said the amount was out of the N79.434.244.353 billion proposed for the economic sector under the capital expenditure estimates, saying the sum of N1 billion was proposed for the procurement of modern tractor equipment for farmers, while N600 million was earmarked for Agricultural Youth Development Programme.

The governor said the decision was geared towards sustaining the state’s drive on ‘Delta beyond oil,’ as well as reduction of unemployment by encouraging youths to embrace farming activities.

According to him, we shall continue to focus on agriculture as a strategy towards sustaining our drive on ‘Delta beyond oil.’ We are encouraging our youths to embrace farming activities from which unemployment, hunger and malnutrition will be reduced.

“We are implementing a well articulated agricultural and poverty alleviation programmes for Delta State in collaboration with the private sector. The sum of N1 billion and N600 million are proposed for the procurement of modern tractor equipment for farmers and agricultural youth development programme, respectively, in the 2014 fiscal year,” he said.

He also disclosed that as part of efforts to taking youths off the streets, N2 billion had been proposed for the training of unemployed youths across the state, noting that the effort was part of promoting and sustaining peace and security in the state.

 By: IDRIS UMAR MOMOH