NAN-AE-1
Windmills
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, Jan. 18, 2017 (NAN) The Jigawa State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources says it has concluded plans to repair 21 broken-down windmills so as to revamp watering points established for herdsmen across the state.
Alhaji Wada’u Sulaiman, the spokesman of the ministry, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday.
Sulaiman said that the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, disclosed the plans at his meeting with the heads of agriculture department of the 27 local government councils and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) on the 2018 animals’ vaccination.
He said Ali said that out of the 81 windmills constructed by state government, 21 were not working, adding that there was, therefore, a need to fix them so as to also ensure adequate supply of water for the herdsmen and their cattle.
He quoted the commissioner as saying that the state government was looking into the possibility of providing solar-powered water systems at the grazing reserves to replace the windmills.
“The commissioner also said the state government received three reports of farmers-herdsmen conflicts, which were being addressed.
“In their separate remarks, the state MACBAN Chairman, Malam Saidu Musa, and Malam Muhammad Nasir, who spoke on behalf of the heads of department, commended the state government for providing agricultural loans to the farmers.
“They said that loans would enable the farmers to improve their productivity and become self-reliant,’’ Sulaiman added. (NAN)
MNB/FF/OOK
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Edited by Fela Fashoro and Dayo Komolafe