About 250 Schools across Ebonyi State have benefited from the second phase of the State Government’s School Agricultural programme fund for 2019 farming season.
The schools, comprising 150 Secondary Schools and 100 Primary Schools, received a grant of N300,000 and N150,000 each respectively, to drive agricultural business for the year.
Flagging off the disbursement of the grant at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki on Thursday, Governor David Umahi re-emphasized that he was more interested in developing the State even as he works towards his re-election.
Umahi admonished the principals and headteachers of the benefitting schools to specifically employ the fund for the purpose it was meant in order to compliment the laudable agricultural policies of the State Government.
He enjoined the State Committee in charge of the School Agricultural Programme to effectively monitor and evaluate the programme to ensure that the budget was judiciously utilized.
The Governor further noted that the State Government decided to expand the programme because of the successes recorded in the first phase.
Addressing the town union presidents, traditional rulers and party supporters at the event, Umahi maintained that evidence of ownership of viable farm rather than political patronage alone has become a prerequisite qualifications for appointment to any political position in his administration.
Umahi, who also adopted the occasion to flags-off the 2019 farming season in the State, assured farmers that the State Government has set aside adequate funds to be accessed by genuine ones in the State.
He advised interested farmers to approach the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for proper documentation.
The Governor, who emphasized that he has a projection to establish a high capacity Modern Rice Mill in each of the 13 Local government areas of the State in 2019, encouraged the farmers to step-up rice and cassava production, adding that diversification in cassava product utilization would be given desired attention in the State.
The Principal of Urban Model Secondary school, Abakaliki, one of the benefitting schools, Nnenna Obasi, expressed excitement over the Governor’s interest in School Agricultural programme.
Praising Umahi’s magnanimity, she said his administration has revived the hitherto dead school agricultural programme, adding that the Governor was the first to take school agriculture seriously since the inception of the State.
Obasi said: “The Governor’s action is a reawakening for Nigeria to go back to the glorious days of School farming.”
Recall that 31 pilot schools were chosen for the programme in the first phase in which each of the schools were given the sum of N1 million for the project.

Source: The Eagle