…As Residents Buy a Modu of Garri for N500
By Editor
The efforts of the Governor Biodun Oyebanjis-led administration towards reducing hunger and ensuring food security appears to be yielding positive result as one of the beneficiaries of the government’s altruistic and proactive agric policy has shown a heart of gratitude by turning the first produce of its harvest to the market.
At a colourful event on Thursday, at Agric Olope on the outskirts of Ado Ekiti, the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in conjunction with the Office of Community communications, officially launched ‘Garri BAO’ produced by the Emure Ekiti based agric firm-MAO Organic Farms Nigeria Limited.
Mrs Mary Oso- Omotoso, the DG Office of Community Communications in her address to the mammoth crowd of mostly market women and residents of the area reiterated the Governor’s deliberate efforts at combating scarcity of food in Ekiti that began since the beginning of the year hence, the massive investment in agriculture through many generous incentives given to the farmers
She revealed that MAO Organic Farm who was among the farmers being supported by the Governor in the state has decided to reciprocate the kind gesture by bringing all the Garri produced from the casava farm to the market and sold to the public at reduced price.
She said the sale will take place at every market day throughout the yuletide season and beyond.
She however cautioned every buyer to go home with only five modus to prevent the nefarious activities of middle men from hijacking the process.
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Speaking in similar vein the Commissioner for Agric and Food Security Mr Ebenezer Boluwade said the Governor is working tirelessly to reduce hunger in the state and making Ekiti State the food basket of the nation in the nearest future as attested to by many people -oriented Agric policies being rolled out with good testimonies from beneficiaries like MAO Organic Nigeria Limited saying that Governor Oyebanji is one Governor who does not like the idea of giving palliatives but believes strongly in empowering people for optimum results.
The Commissioner used the occasion to disclose governments’ decision to float a company-Ilu Eye Agro-Trading Aggregation Company which would buy back all the aggregate farm produce in the State and store them till off -season ready to be sold to the people at subsidized rates.
Representative of MAO Organic, Mr Kolade in a short address thanked the governor of Ekiti State describing him as Farmers-friendly Governor.
He recalled an unpleasant experience the company suffered four years ago when hundreds of millions invested in their farm went down the drain due to inaccessible road to convey the crops to the city.
“All the farmsteads are now motorable. Even besides the road rehabilitation, every other incentives and equipments needed for bountiful harvest were provided by Governor BAO. We now feel like the best way we can appreciate our Governor is to bring the farm produce in large quantity and sell to the people at reasonable price.
Mr Dele Okunoye CEO MAO Organic Farms Nigeria Limited, Emure Ekiti, in a chat with our correspondent said; “Gari BAO is our efforts to bring the benefits of this administration to the people of Ekiti State because His Excellency Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji has invested massive infrastructure for agricultural establishments and farms across the state and we are one of the beneficiaries.
“They cleared land for us for free, absolutely free, sent bulldozers to clear our farms, after clearing, they sent tractors to plough, to ridge and then they give us seedlings at subsidized rates, they bought chemicals and fertilizers. In a nutshell, they made farming easy for us and because of that, we are passing the dividends of democracy to the people that deserved to get it because our Governor has done a lot to subsidize food production and it is the produce of this subsidy from the government that we are bringing to the market today and we will continue to do this every market day.”. He said..
Responding to the question on how his outfit will ensure even distribution of the product across the state, the seasoned farmer hinted that his company will try her best as one of the beneficiaries of Governor Oyebanjis noting that several others are coming on board.
“We are just one of the thousands farmers in the state that have benefited, so what we are going to do is to encourage our colleagues who have also benefitted from this program and follow suit and support the people of the state with subsidized food prices”
Okunoye listed other juicy agricultural packages for Ekiti people.
“Apart from Garri BAO, Rice is coming, oil palm and plantain in the subsequent months for the benefit of our people”
At the end of the exercise over 100 50kg of garri were sold on the spot.
