By Stephen Adeleye.
The Kogi State Coordinator of the International Fund for Agricultural Development/Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD/VCDP), Dr Stella Adejoh, has received an ‘Award of Excellence’, bestowed on her by the Gaskiya Cluster Women Marketers in the state.
Presenting the award on Wednesday in Lokoja, the Chairperson Gaskiya Cluster, Hajia Lare Sule, said the Award was meant to appreciate Dr Adejoh for supporting Gaskiya women through IFAD-VCDP with facilities to boost their rice farming and marketing activities.
According to Sule, Kogi VCDP headed by Dr Adejoh, has created enabling environment for them with the provision of Rice Processing centre, Dryer slab, Market stall and Solar powered borehole, which have been of immense benefits to them.
She added that arrangements had also been concluded by Kogi VCDP to install Transformer for them for electricity supply to their communities.
”With all these massive development happening in Gaskiya centre, we, the marketers dimmed it necessary to give an award to our Sate Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh.
”Before now, we don’t have the hope of survival but the coming of Kogi VCDP has changed the narrative, making us to have a place to process and sell our rice thereby improving our wellbeing.
”Since we don’t have money to give Dr Adejoh, the only way we think we can appreciate her is to show the whole world that we are happy with her, Kogi VCDP, and the Federal Government,” Sule said.
Responding, Dr Adejoh, appreciated the marketers for considering it fit to honour her with the award of Excellence, saying ”her joy knows no bound”.
She expressed her gratitude to Kogi State Government for creating the conducive environment for VCDP activities to thrive in agricultural sector in the state.
Dr Adejoh further thanked His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, for providing the necessary physical and moral support as well as prompt payment of the state’s counterpart fund, saying that alone has been boosting her energy to do more for the state.
In the same vein, Dr Adejoh, thanked the federal government for the initiative in providing the facilities to support vulnerable grassroot farmers to ensure food security in the state.
