By Muhammed Nasiru
Some communities in Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas of Kogi State have been earmarked for the establishment of farm settlement centres by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as part of efforts aimed at tackling food security in the country.
The development followed a resolution of the House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Products and Services to adopt a motion moved by Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims of Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Federal Constituency on the “Need For Farm Settlement Centres in Okenyi, Ikanekpo, Agaliga and Bagana in Ankpa Federal Constituency of Kogi State”.
While ruling on the matter, after presentations by the Udama Farmers Cooperative Society and Enyo Doko Farmers Club of Olamaboro, the chairman of the House Committee on Agricultural Products and Services, Hon. Muntari Dandutste said the motion ably moved by Rep. Halims was not only of great national importance but true representation of the wishes of his constituents.
Earlier, before the Chairman puts the matter to questions for agreement and disagreement, Mr. John Omali who spoke for Udama Farmers Cooperative Society, noted that with the abundant fertile land, able man power and hitherto large scale farming abilities of these communities, the establishment of farm settlement centres will not only dignify farming which the area considers as a noble profession but grossly boost the annual output by virtue of the impacts of mechanized farming.
On his part, Dr. Simon Okeme, the spokesman of Enyo Doko Farmers Club of Olamaboro first commended the federal lawmaker, Rep. Halims for what he described as genuine intention the add value to the people through effective legislation and went further to state that the need to give the motion a speedy passage cannot be overemphasized, stressing that anything can wait but agriculture and the best way to improve the nation’s current agricultural output is the establishment of these farm settlement centres.
