Yakubu Busari
Jos East Local Government Council has acquired 3.8 km of farmland to build international vegetables market to be airlift to South Africa and Europe also to attract investors and tourism potential in the state.
The management committee Chairman of Jos East Local Government Council, Dr Samuel I Pate who disclosed this at his resident in Lamigo, Jos North’s LGA while in audience with some group of journalists.
He pledged his administrative readiness to partner with any investors who are ready to discover the local government investment in agriculture toward boosting the income of the council.
“We want to embark on revenue drive and introduce annual festival of the Afizere rich culture with people oriented program of development”, he added.
According to him , the floods that washed away farmland and bridges and killings animals is first of its kind in 60 years which left farmers counting their losses after the disaster.
Pate cautioned those whose farmland is close to river bank to be aware of the ongoing campaign of Federal government to move to save environment and avoid disaster.
He explained that about 40 persons farm were affected and the council secretariat decide to set up committee to investigate the level of damage through the department of social service to take assessment.
Dr Pate also lamented that what the council intended doing right now is to provide relief materials and look for alternative measure of linking the headquarters before the raining season is over.
“We have written to state government to as a matter of urgency come to the rescue of the people with construction of roads through the ministry of work “, he said.
He, however, said with the dwindling revenue based of the local government rebuilding of culvert bridges connecting Maza to Angwari is a big problem that need the help of state government.
Dr Pate pointed out that one of the greatest challenges facing the staff of the local government council is the problem of office accommodation which demoralized the moral of them sitting under the trees .
Dr Pate maintains further that when he was appointed as the management committee chairman ,I Initiated the building of more offices for principal directors and key officers to help reduce their suffering.
According to him, Jos East has been spent 18 years without a first class traditional ruler so the administration of Governor Simon Lalong has done that already, we are waiting for the coronation ceremony coming soon.
He lauded the FADAMA programme for providing and creating awareness to the people in reducing unemployment and empowerment of women and the youth.
Dr Samuel Pate decried the delayed in the distribution of fertilizers to farmers but expressed satisfaction that the few that came really brought a lot encouragement to them.
