Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has taken delivery of the first batch of 100 tractors out of the 1,000 tractors promised to registered farmers across the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Patrick Ubru received the tractors from a Danish Company Notra at the Enugu tractor Assembling and Service centre.
According to the Danish company, another set of 100 tractors would arrive in a few weeks, while the remaining 800 would be assembled in Enugu.
While receiving the tractors, Ubru described the feat as novel and unprecedented in the agricultural sector since the creation of Enugu State.
He said that about 3,600 jobs would be created through the initiative.
He maintained that the state government was committed to making Enugu the food basket of the nation through mechanised agriculture, as well as a major exporter of food across the globe.
Ubru added that modalities have been put in place to ensure that the tractors were distributed to registered farmers with emphasis on maintenance culture and accountability to avoid misuse of the machines.
Speaking the chairman of All Farmers Association (AFA), Enugu State chapter, Mr Romanus Eze, described Governor Peter Mbah as a farmers-friendly governor.
He thanked the governor for clearing the doubts of many farmers in the state, and promised that the farmers would make judicious use of the machines.
Mr Eze further assured the state government that with the tractors in place, several jobs would be created for the teeming youths of the state.
