By Stephen Adeleye.
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agric and Rural Development, on Monday inaugurated the National Egg Production (NEGPRO) Scheme in Kogi State, aimed at boosting poultry farming across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration in Lokoja Mrs Vivian Ibe, the National Poultry Desk Officer, Department of Animal and Husbandry Services of the ministry, said the scheme was aimed at creating awareness and boost egg productions nationwide..
According to her, the essence of the scheme is to create awareness aimed at strengthening egg production, its marketing and utilisation capacity of poultry products in Nigeria.
She noted that the national egg production scheme was a five year programme with its target to promote economic development, income, livestock and job opportunity in Nigeria.
She added that scheme was expected to produce about 500,000 table eggs daily for local consumption, export and processing into egg powder for use in confectionery and pharmaceutical industry.
She said that the scheme would equally focus on the stakeholders engagement towards piloting, facilitating and coordinating egg production.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Shekamang Ayuba, expressed hope that the national egg production scheme would impact positively on agriculturists and farmers in the state.
In his remarks, the Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, commended the federal government’s initiative for the establishment of scheme to boost poultry farming across the country.
He thanked the federal government for selecting Kogi as one of the first states in Nigeria to benefit from the scheme.
Apeh, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Sani Abdulganiyu, stressed that the project would also boost the nation’s economy, food security and job creation for the unemployed youths in the state.
The commissioner urged farmers in the state to avail themselves of the opportunity to key into the scheme.
The State Anchors of National Egg Production (NEGPRO) scheme and some Poultry farmers across the local government areas of Kogi were present at the inauguration.
They expressed their readiness to implement the program in Kogi State.
